Chef notes
Marinating the chicken in the acidic citrus marinade overnight gives the meat a ton of flavor and comes with the added benefit of ensuring that the meat stays incredibly juicy. The marinade expands your margin for error so you don't have to worry about overcooking.
Swap option: At Crown Shy, we make a house-made hot sauce with a few kinds of fermented peppers. But I'd serve this with any hot sauce of your choosing.
Ingredients
- 1 3- to 4-pound heritage chicken
- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 1½ tablespoons ginger juice
- 2½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons minced jalapeño
- 1½ tablespoons minced habanero
- 1 shallot, minced
- 7 coriander seeds
- 7 black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
Preparation
1.Halve the chicken and debone the legs and thighs.
2.In a large mixing bowl, combine the citrus and ginger juices and salt. Whisk to make sure the salt is fully dissolved. Place the juice mixture, jalapeño, habanero and shallots in the bowl of a food processor or high-performance blender, and lightly pulse to combine until smooth.
3.Place the chicken in an airtight container or large zip-top bag, cover with the marinade then add the whole coriander, black peppercorns and star anise. Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for 24 hours. After a full day in the refrigerator, remove the chicken from the marinade and dry on a resting rack in the refrigerator for about 12 hours.
4.Preheat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil grates. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
5.On a wood grill or grill pan over medium-high heat, cook chicken to char, about 7 minutes uninterrupted. Transfer charred chicken to a baking sheet and place in the oven until the internal temperature reads 165°F, about 15 minutes.
6.Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite hot sauce and garnish with any combination of fresh jalapeño, radish, watercress or cilantro.
