Chicken on the grill is a summer staple. But if you’re tired of the same old chicken pieces with barbecue sauce, try this recipe from Epicurious.com, which includes two great grilling tricks — butterflying the chicken and using a board sauce. Removing the backbone from the chicken and flattening it means the chicken cooks more quickly and evenly. Tossing it with an herb-infused sauce on the cutting board allows the warm chicken to soak up the flavours.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The only ingredient that might contain preservatives are the red pepper flakes, so check the label.

Chop cilantro and oregano for the sauce

Set aside some sauce for basting and use the rest on the cooked chicken

Removing the backbone means the chicken will cook for quickly and evenly

Baste the chicken when it is almost done

Toss the cooked chicken with the rest of the sauce on the cutting board

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

¾ cup (180 ml) chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil plus more for grill

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 4-pound (1.8 kg) chicken, halved, backbone removed

Lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

Combine red pepper flakes, cilantro, oregano, lime zest, and ¼ cup (60 ml) oil; season dressing with salt and pepper. Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Prepare grill for medium indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill; for a gas grill, leave 1 burner turned off). Brush grill rack with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, on grill. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is crisp and browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165° F (74° C), 10-15 minutes per side (move chicken to cooler part of grill if it’s cooking too quickly). About 5 minutes before chicken is done, baste with some of dressing.

Pour remaining dressing onto a carving board (or platter, if you don’t have a large board) and place chicken, skin side up, on top. Let sit at least 10 minutes to rest and absorb flavor from dressing before carving. Drizzle chicken with some dressing from board and serve with limes. Serves 4.

From Epicurious.com