If I were to be banished in exile to an island prison, along the lines of Napoleon on Elba, and were told I could only bring along one protein to dine on for the remainder of my days (or until escape), I’d probably choose chicken and a trusty Weber kettle grill to cook it on.
With a sufficient quantity of roosters in the flock, the chickens would be self sustaining, supply a steady stream of eggs as well as well as feathers for tying flies with which to fish the flats or harbors of my island pokey.
While Island exile doesn’t appear likely in the near future, we continue to steadfastly explore the culinary world for new grilled chicken recipes just in case.
There are probably several billion grilled chicken recipes out there; every gal or guy with a grill has their stock of favorites, as do we. Now and again, like the blind sow finding an acorn, we run across one that’s attractively different from the flock and worthy of mention.
This Hot to Trot Sweet and Sour Grilled Chicken is one of those lucky finds, along the lines of bushwhacking your way up a small, backcountry creek to find an long riffle run and tailout, well-shaded, with naive little cutthroat rising to the sputtering start of the late afternoon caddis hatch.
Reading this ingredient list, you might guess it would be too salty (it’s not, even with standard soy sauce), too sour (wrong again, it’s just tart enough) or too spicy with all the peppers and garlic (we find that unless you use most of the peppers called for – there’s just not enough heat to make it interesting).
This has turned into one of new favorite glazes (think grilled pork chops or tenderloin for one) and table sauces. With the high sugar content you need to glaze late in the game after your protein is largely cooked; be sure and same some for the table too.
1 and 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup tomato paste
2 cups low sodium soy sauce
1 and 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 medium onions, minced
4-8 serrano or jalapeno chiles, stemmed and minced
1/2 cup minced garlic (yep, you’re reading that right)Chicken, 3-4 lb., either leg quarters or cut up whole chickens
Whisk the tomato paste and water together in a large saucepan over medium heat; now whisk in the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until thickened sufficiently, somewhere in the range of 4 and 1/2 cups. Split into two parts and keep one for the table.
Fire the grill.
Grill the chicken over indirect heat, turning once or twice, until mostly done (165 degrees measured near a thigh bone – 23-25 minutes typically).
Now begin to glaze with the sauce (sauce and turn every 2-3 minutes) for a couple of turns until nicely colored and the glaze has set well.
Serve hot off the grill with the remaining sauce at hand.
Enjoy.
