Butter Basted Grilled Chicken with Thyme & Chillies

This recipe for Butter Basted Grilled Chicken with Thyme & Chillies creates a light, flavorful chicken that underscores the true taste of chicken.  Got charcoal?  Even better!

Sometimes I read recipes and think, can you even taste the key ingredient?  There’s a big difference between highlighting with a complex layering of flavours and overpowering a dish with too many tastes.  There are days when I strip down a meal, to keep things super simple and extraordinarily fresh!  Fresh thyme, fresh chilli, melted butter, a little seasoning and a nice plump little chicken and that’s it.

Keeping the ingredient list lean makes for a main that pairs well with seasonal sides with some intensity and heat, anything from curried sweet potatoes to summer spaghetti or a big plate of grilled vegetables.  ‘Tis the season.

Fresh, simple and fast.  Just melt butter and toss in a little chopped thyme and chillies and GRILL.  Butter Basted Grilled Chicken with Thyme & Chillies, where there’s smoke there’s dam good food!

Butter Basted Grilled Chicken with Thyme & Chillies Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Serves: four

1 whole chicken, split in half or quartered
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped fine
3 sweet thai chillies, chopped fine
salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat your grill or charcoal pit, to about 400°F (200°C). Prepare your chicken; cut off wing tips at the joint leaving just the drummette, remove the backbone and split through the breast. Flatten slightly using the palm of your hand to crush the ribs slightly and create greater contact with the grill.

2. Season chicken then place on the hottest section of the grill, skin side down, for about 8 minutes to char the skin and create good grill marks. When you flip, shift the chicken to indirect heat. In the case of a gas grill you can shut off one burner and place your chicken over the unlit portion where it will still get the heat but not over the direct flame. If you’re using charcoal, build the fire to one side and simply move your chicken to the side opposite your coals. Cook, lid open for about 20 minutes before turning and cooking for about another 10 minutes.

3. While chicken cooks prepare your flavoured butter. Chop thyme and chillies and add to melted butter.  Season as needed and reserve at room temperature until needed.

3. Test your chicken for doneness, if you are over 120°F (49°C) internal temperature at the thigh/wing joint then begin brushing the chicken with butter, thyme chili coat both sides of your chicken. Finish skin side up, brushing liberally, closing lid for brief periods of time to infuse with smoke. When chicken is cooked through, to minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), remove from grill and rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken, done right.