Baking sheet for carrying chicken to outdoor grill
Grilling tongs
Bowl used for marinade
Small whisk used for mixing marinade
Ingredients
5lbswhole chicken
4tablespoonjerk seasoning blend
4tablespoongrape-seed oil
½tablespoonkosher salt
2teaspoonblack pepper
1lemon
Instructions
I'm all for washing the chicken first, but if you're not into washing your chicken, omit this step and move on to the next step.
Place the chicken on a prepared baking sheet by lining it with foil for easy clean-up.
Spatchcock/Butterfly Chicken: Remove the giblets and flip the chicken so the breast side is down, take your kitchen shears and cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken so the skin-side is up and using both palms of your hands push the breast down so it flattens as much as possible. For step-by-steps photos and instructions on how to spatchcock a chicken search 'Cajun Spatchcock Chicken Recipe' on my website or follow the link above.
Pour the marinade over the entire chicken and rub it in using your hands or a basting brush making sure to coat every part of the chicken even between the crevices.
Season both sides of the chicken generously with kosher salt and some pepper and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your grill by cleaning your grates and oiling them with cooking spray such as avocado oil or another cooking oil spray. Then, preheat your grill between 325 degrees F to 350 degrees F and adjust the vents to maintain the temperature.
Place the chicken on the grill with the skin-side up and close the lid. Grill for approximately 45minutes then flip the chicken and continue grilling with the skin-side down until the internal temp of the breast reaches 165 degrees F.
Check periodically to make sure the skin of the chicken doesn't become overly charred to the point that it looks completely burnt. To prevent this from happening, move the chicken to the indirect heat section of your grill.
During the last 30 seconds or minute, place half a lemon on the grill. Remove the chicken from the grill and the lemon and place on a clean platter or baking sheet. Squeeze the juice from the grilled lemon over the top of the chicken and allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
When grilling a whole chicken, it's best to spatchcock aka butterfly your bird, so it cooks faster.
Before coating your chicken with the marinade, make sure you dry it thoroughly with paper towels.
Season generously with kosher salt unless you're following a low sodium diet.
Allow your bird to come to room temperature before placing it on the preheated grill.
Always use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure that you do not overcook your chicken.
To check the internal temperature of your chicken, always insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast when it registers to 165 degrees F, it's done.
When the chicken is done and you remove it from the grill allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes to retain the juices.