I like to think Spring has arrived when we make this for dinner. It means Dave and I are cooking together since he is the resident expert on butterflying and grilling chicken, and I can handle making the incredible sauce. Warm weather, white wine, and the kids running through the house leaving the doors open. Perfect!
Lindsay
Sauce:
- 3 jalapeños
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Chicken:
- 1 whole chicken
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
For Sauce: Remove seeds from jalapeño and roughly chop. Place in food processor or blender with cilantro, garlic, mayo, sour cream, lime juice and vinegar. Blend on high until smooth. With motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For Chicken: Pat the chicken dry, place on cutting board breast side down. Using kitchen shears, remove backbone by cutting along both sides of it. Turn chicken over. Press firmly on breast to flatten.
Combine salt, cumin, paprika, pepper,garlic, vinegar, and oil in a bowl and spread all over chicken.
Heat one half of the grill to high. Place chicken, skin side up, on cooler side of grill, with legs facing the heat. Cook with grill lid closed until the breast reaches 110°F. Flip chicken and place, skin side down, on hot side of grill, with breasts facing cooler side. Press down firmly. Close grill and cook until the breast reaches 145-150°F, about 10 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before carving. Serve with sauce.
Spencer Family Cookbook 