Hola Mi Gente,
I’ve been thinking a lot about creativity in the kitchen lately. Mainly because I’ve been working on a project that makes me fall in love over and over again with how many different ways food allows us to express ourselves. A nice dinner out can be a form of self-care. A long recipe, an embodiment for the words “how do I love you, let me count the ways.” Unexpected pairings, a reminder that love is fickle and adventurous and wild. Savory, hearty dishes: the reality that food transcends past nutrition, toward healing and love and care for ourselves and others.
You could say this recipe is the epitome of all of those sentimental things. It’s the kind of recipe that gets me in my feelings; that reminds me that I was made to create food, every bite of the way. This chicken is the kind of food that makes me love food so very much. Because in experimenting to create it, I was trying to embody a whimsical, comfortable (and yet untamed) sort of love. To communicate through good food, what a treasure.
Like all good things: this chicken starts with slowing down a little, concentrating fresh ingredients, and sprinkling flavor over every square inch of food.
This is the kind of recipe that DOES take a little more work, but the end result is SO magical, that you realize in every bite how worth it, it was. A couple of the words that came to mind as I devoured this are: home, rich, sabor, love love love. When you take a bite you get a sort of texture explosion as you go from the crisp exterior, to the juicy interior. Paired with my Roasted Garlic Aioli creates the perfect drippy, messy eating experience. The kind that makes you want to lick your fingers after every bite.
Are you getting the picture I’m trying to paint for you? If you’re still stuck on the idea of it taking a little extra work, let me just chime in that it’s the kind of work that you can split up into different days when you have a little time. When you’re meal-prepping for the week, you can take the time to make the marinade for this chicken, to have at your disposal for whatever day you want to cook this up. Add the aioli to your meal prepping as well, and then you cut down the recipe time in half!
I’m going to show you some pictures now, to convince you of everything I just said, and by the time you get to the bottom, I hope you’ll be adding this to your meals for the week! HINT HINT HINT for anyone anywhere trying to plan a romantic gesture–this meal delicious, full of care, and intention.
Convinced yet? I hope so, because I’m drooling just looking through the pictures again! Also, if you’re looking for a really great way to grill during the winter months, without pulling out the grill and cleaning it in the cold, I’ve found that my grill pan does the trick beautifully! My Le Creuset pan is almost always out of stock these days, but this Staub is an almost perfect replacement. If you’re looking for something a little more budget friendly, I really trust Lodge cast-irons and this one should work just fine with proper care!
Love, love, love,
Golden BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 TSP Marjoram
- 1 TSP Oregano
- 1/2 TSP Finely Ground White Pepper
- 2 TSP Paprika
- 2 TBSP Kosher Salt I used Jacobsen's
- 1 TSP Lemon Juice
- 1 C Avocado Oil
For Grilling
- 8 Chicken Drumsticks
- 2 TBSP Avocado Oil
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add all the marinade ingredients EXCEPT for the oil. Beat together with a hand mixer or immersion blender until combined. Slowly (very slowly--this step should take 1-2 minutes) drizzle in the oil to emulsify the marinade. Alternatively, follow these same steps in a food processor.
- Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade and coat all pieces on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, and up to 8 hours. When done marinating, wipe excess marinade off the chicken--the more dry you get it, the better it will crisp up on the grill.
- Heat grill or grill pan over high heat, and brush with oil thoroughly. Once the pan is very hot, but not smoking, add the chicken and lower heat to medium. Cook on all sides until a crisp layer has formed on the exterior, brushing with marinade once the crisp is formed. Cover with foil and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads at least 160 degrees. Serve with Roasted Garlic Aioli and enjoy!
Mary-Beth Johnson
Mary-Beth is a creative, food-obsessed, Georgia transplant living Chicago. She is proudly and fiercely Latina, and more specifically Chapina. In her day to day she is a food educator to students around Chicagoland aged 3 to 80+, both virtually and in-person. She is passionate about cultivating the truth that every person has an understanding of food that deserves being brought to the table, and that time in the kitchen can be sacred, passionate, and an act of love for self and others. Outside the kitchen you can find her at the intersections of infertility, chronic illness, and a deep love for the dignity of all humans. She hopes to create a space that is holistic about the role of food in the social, political, relational, and physiological dynamics of our world.
