Grill Something: Whole Chicken

For the record, I did try to upload the other half of my spring break pictures.  Not once.  Not twice.  But three times.  After they didn't load the third time; I gave up.

On the menu today is a whole grilled chicken courtesy of Rick Bayless, master of Mexican cuisine.  The recipe pays homage to the roadside roasted chickens you can apparently pick up in Mexico.  I can't say I've ever actually eaten any roadside food in Mexico, but after this recipe; I might.  Assuming either of my parents ever decide it's safe to go there, but that's beside the point.

I made this recipe last Sunday.  The weather was gorgeous, and I needed an excuse to be outside, after spending 6 hours in the library.  So I heated up the grill, whipped up a refreshing cocktail, and soaked up a healthy amount of vitamin D.

Strawberry Smash (minus the basil because I haven't replanted my herbs yet).  My favorite summer cocktail.

This chicken is the best chicken I've eaten in a long. long. time.  It's juicy and tender with just the right amount of spices.  It's served with roasted green onions {delicious} and smothered in my homemade tomatillo sauce {delicious}.  I roasted a couple ears of corn and served them Mexican style: sprinkled with chile powder, cilantro, and cotija cheese.  The result was a blissful Sunday evening in the sun and one hell of a meal.

The recipe for the chicken is available here, and really only requires basic pantry items.  The only thing you might not have are cloves, but they're readily available at any grocery store.

To make the tomatillo sauce: Half the tomatillos and peel a couple cloves of garlic. Roast them in a pan on the grill until they are slight charred and soft.  Blend in a food processor along with a couple handfuls some pickled jalapeños until smooth.  The great thing about using pickled jalapeños is that they add a salty vinegary quality to the sauce that is amazing.

Just how good is this chicken?  Jason and I ate the entire bird.  In one setting.    So get out there and get your grills going!

Also, my apologies for the iPhone photos.  I promise to start using my real camera again soon.