Here’s to a happy and safe Fourth of July for all of our Chi Wulff friends today.
It’s been a crazy week around camp Chi Wulff West, enough so that I actually lost track of the days of the week, thinking today was in fact Thursday (dammit). This bizarre week culminated in watching all of our worldly possessions being loaded onto a moving truck yesterday (full story to follow in a day or two…).
For some curious reason, the local municipality in which we’ve been living on the left coast holds their fireworks celebration on the 3rd of July every year. We happen to (have) live(d) just a couple of miles from the city park where they host the fireworks show, therefore the neighborhood tends to host a number of yard parties to view the pyrotechnics after dinner.
A neighbor took pity on me and invited me over for grilled chicken last night, his son grilling impossibly simple yet incredibly tasty Lemon – Oregano Chicken Leg Quarters. The chicken was remarkably moist with a tart lemon kick and softer herbal flavors from the fresh oregano.
He refused to divulge the source of his recipe, though let me copy it down with a promise to share it today. Fresh lemon juice and fresh oregano are the keys to making this one work, though Rick (last night’s grill master) insisted he only marinates these for three hours typically.
You’re gonna want to try these soon.
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. good olive oil
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. finely grated lemon peel (fresh!)
1-2 tsp. fresh ground pepper to taste
12 chicken leg quarters
Make a marinade. Whisk the lemon juice, oregano, garlic, olive oil, kosher salt and lemon peel together in a small bowel; grind in fresh pepper to taste. Split the chicken leg quarters between two gallon resealable bags and pour half the marinade into each.
Rick marinates for three hours in the fridge; they’d been even better overnight.
Fire the grill.
Grill time. Grill, with marinade clinging, over a medium-hot fire for a total cook time of 30-40 minutes; keep a close eye on these and turn to create a golden brown crust on all sides.
Serve and smile. Let rest for 3-4 minutes and then go it. The neighbors served this last night with a rice and black bean salad and a cold beer, earning a genuine ‘hot damn’ from me.
Enjoy and be safe out there today.
