Butterflying a chicken enables you to spread it out and grill it in one piece so it gets cooked evenly and this recipe lets you create a wonderful crunchy-skinned chicken dish with very little effort and perfect for a summer barbecue.

Ingredients

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine shallots, garlic and rosemary.

2. Butterfly chicken. First, place the chicken, breast side down, against the cutting board. Then, using poultry shears or a paring knife, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Second, open the chicken like a book. Holding the wings with your hands - place your thumbs inside the chicken on either side of the breastbone. Then, press and push up on the breastbone to crack it and flatten the chicken. Third -- using a sharp pairing knife or boning knife -- cut from the inside of the chicken along both sides of the breastbone to remove it taking care not to remove any of the meat. Lastly, remove any bones visible on both sides of the thigh.

3. Using your fingertips, gently loosen skin from chicken breast and thighs. Spread about 1-tablespoon shallot mixture on each chicken breast and thigh underneath the skin.

4. In large re-sealable food storage bag or in a glass-baking dish, combine remaining shallot mixture, orange juice, marmalade, vinegar and oil. Add chicken to marinade, turning to coat. Reseal food storage bag or cover chicken in dish with plastic wrap. Marinate in refrigerator at least 8 hours, turning chicken occasionally.

5. Prepare grill for indirect cooking method. When coals are medium-hot (when you can hold your hand above coals for just 3 seconds), remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

6. Place chicken, skin-side up on grill rack directly over drip pan. Brush chicken with some reserved marinade. Cover with grill lid and grill chicken 40 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to make sure that it is not burning. Turn chicken, skin-side down on grill rack over drip pan. Brush with marinade. Cover and grill chicken 20 to 30 minutes longer or until juice run clear (or instant read thermometer registers 170 degrees F. Discard remaining marinade. Note: Make sure you place a drip pan immediately beneath the chicken when you grill it. (This reduces flare-ups and keeps the meat moist.)

7. Cut the chicken into six or eight pieces and serve on a bed of lettuce greens.

Serves: 4 to 6

Note from Wolfgang Puck. "I love to serve rosé at a summer barbecue. It's light, fresh and goes wonderfully with chicken dishes, especially grilled chicken. Try Bonny Doon's Vin Gris from Santa Cruz, or look for a Provencal rosÈ from France or one of the delicious rosÈs that are being imported from Spain."

Recipe copyright ©2001 Wolfgang Puck

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