Middle East Grilled Herb Chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh fennel tops
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 8 ounce carton plain nonfat yogurt
salt and pepper
1 3 pound chicken, butterflied (see note)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Combine parsley, fennel, onions, yogurt, and salt and pepper to
taste in a glass bowl. Remove excess fat from chicken. Pat dry.
Place fingers between the skin and meat of the chicken to separate
and make space for herb mixture. Place herb mixture under chicken
skin, pushing it in gently under skin until all parts of meat are
covered. Massage the chicken to evenly distribute herb mixture under
the skin. Let sit at least 30 minutes or overnight in the
refrigerator. Brush skin lightly with olive oil before grilling.
Place the chicken, skin side up, in center of the cooking grate and
grill for 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices run clear and the
skin is crisp. It is not necessary to turn over. Remove chicken skin
before eating, if desired.
Note: To butterfly whole chicken, take poultry shears or a sharp
knife and split the bird lengthwise along one side of the backbone.
With the skin side up, pull the body open, pressing firmly until the
bones begin to crack and the bird lies reasonably flat.
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