Categories: Main Dishes
Ingredients
- 3 cups good-quality store-bought tangerine juice
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 large lemons)
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- 2 whole chickens (3 to 4 pounds each)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tangerines, halved crosswise, any visible seeds removed and discarded
Directions
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Combine the tangerine juice, lemon juice, canola oil, honey, coriander seeds, thyme and garlic in a large storage container.
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Whisk to combine.
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Place 1 chicken, breast-side down, on a plastic cutting board.
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Cut out the backbone with a pair of sharp kitchen shears.
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Reserve the backbone in a plastic storage bag and save for a later use (such as homemade chicken stock).
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Turn the chicken over and use your hands to gently press down on the breast to crack the breast bone so that it lays flat.
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Add the butterflied chicken to the container with the marinade.
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Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
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Nestle the birds side by side in the marinade, making sure that they are completely submerged.
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Cover with a lid.
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Marinate in the refrigerator, flipping once halfway through, at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
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Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-low to medium heat.
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While the grill heats up, remove the chickens from the marinade.
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Pat fairly dry with paper towels.
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There should be a light coating of marinade on the chickens but not too much because excess oil will cause flare-ups on the grill.
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Discard the marinade.
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Season the chickens liberally on all sides with salt and pepper.
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Tuck the wings under the breasts.
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Place the chickens, breast-side down, on the hot grill.
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Set 2 bricks on top of each chicken.
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Cook until the skin is light golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes.
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Use tongs to carefully remove the bricks.
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Flip the chickens.
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Return the bricks to the chickens.
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Continue grilling until an instant-read thermometer inserted in to the thickest part of each chicken registers 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes more.
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While the chicken is cooking, add the tangerines to the grill, cut-side down.
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Grill until the flesh is deeply charred in spots, about 10 minutes.
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Remove from the grill.
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Cool slightly.