Grilled olive oil and fennel chicken with grilled veggies
Ingredients
SEASONING
- 2 tablspoons celery salt
- 2 teaspoons ground celery seeds
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon mace
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
OLIVE FENNEL CHICKEN
- 1 cup sliced manzanilla olives
- 1/3 cup brine from jar of manzanilla olives
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon My Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teasponns toasted fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon minced serrano chili
- 1 chicken (about 3 pounds), backbone removed, chicken cut into 8 pieces
GRILLED SEASONAL VEGETABLES
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 8 green onions trimmed
- 2 yellow squashes (about 12 ounces), sliced lengthwise 1 centimeter thick
- 2 zucchini (about 12 ounces), sliced lengthwise 1 centimeter thick
- 2 Japanese eggplants (about 12 ounces), sliced lengthwise 1cm thick
- 2 small fennel bulbs, stalks trimmed, fronds removed and quartered
- 1 red bell pepper seeded & halved
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Koher salt and cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped basil
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
TO SERVE
- Mixed whole olives
- Oregano sprigs
Directions
OLD BAY SEASONING
- Combine celery salt, celery seeds, mustard, pepper, sweet and smoked paprika, cloves, ginger, cayenne pepper, mace, cardamom and allspice in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. You can store this in an airtight container in a cool place.
PREPARE THE OLIVE FENNEL CHICKEN
- In a food processor, combine olives, olive brine, garlic, oil, oregano, My Old Bay Seasoning, fennel seeds and chili. Process until blended.
- In a large bowl, coat chicken pieces with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes overnight.
- Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat.
- Remove chicken marinade, letting the herbs cling to the chicken. Discard marinade. Grill chicken over indirect heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 160 to 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone), 45 to 50 minutes turning once. If desired, to crisp the skin, grill chicken over direct medium heat drying the last five minutes of grilling timer, turning once. Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you grill the vegetables.
GRILL THE VEGETABLES
- Increase the barbecue heat to medium-high. While chicken rests, brush vegetables with ¼ cup oil to coat lightly and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over: four minutes for the asparagus and green onion: seven minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant and fennel; 8 to 10 minutes for the bel peppers. (The key to getting those great grill marks is to not shift the vegetables too frequently once they’ve been placed on the hot grill.) Arrange vegetables on a platter.
- Whisk remaining two tablespoons oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle herb mixture over vegetables.
- Serve vegetables warm with Olive Fennel Chicken, garnish with mixed whole olives and oregano sprigs.