Fire Up That Grill!

I know, it’s the dead of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Snow on the ground, rain falling, icy winds blowing. So bundle up, because this amazing marinated chicken cooks up quick!

When I was a little girl, Dad created a marinade that was the most amazing marinade on the planet. He used his marinade to make the best Kabobs on the planet. Most of the time, he made beef kabobs. It was a summer tradition. Dad’s beef kabobs and a fresh strawberry pie.

Dad would marinade chunks of steak the night before, and then put the kabobs on the spit to slowly barbecue over a bed of hot coals in his trusty Webber. The spit made this groaning sound, squeaking as it turned round and round over a bed of glowing coals. It seemed to take forever for the kabobs to cook, the savory scented ghostly gray smoke floating through the backyard, causing our mouths to water. Dad made us wait until the first piece of meat fell from the skewer and sizzled on the bed of coals below. Only then was it considered “done”. My brother and I would dance about in the smoke, excitedly waiting and watching for that first morsel to fall and sizzle madly on the red-hot coals. Brother Dear, when no one was looking, would poke at the meat in the hopes of coaxing one tiny piece to fall. Try as he might, there was no rushing perfection.

I’ve used Dad’s marinade for beef kabobs and chicken skewers over the years. Recently it occurred to me we could use this marinade to add flavor to chicken that was then simply quick grilled and served with a few simple sides. Kabobs are great, but why limit the possibilities? And the nice thing about grilling boneless chicken is that it doesn’t take long. So even in the dead of winter, we can have that summer flavor.

Dad’s Marinated Chicken
2 cups Salad Oil
1 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Dry Mustard
2-1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper
3/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons Dried Parsley Flakes
3 pressed Garlic Cloves
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
2 lbs Boneless Chicken Thighs

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar and parsley flakes. Peel and press garlic over the marinade mix. Whisk in the lemon juice, set aside.

Trim excess fat from the chicken. Lay thighs out in a casserole dish or marinade container. Pour marinade over chicken. Turn several times to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 3 days. The longer the marinade, the deeper the flavors.

Heat half of grill to medium-heat. Grill thighs directly over heat until cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning often to prevent burning.

If flare-ups occur, move thighs to indirect heat briefly and continue to cook. Once grilled to perfection, transfer thighs to a serving platter.

Awesome with Rice Pilaf and green beans.

Jasmine Vegetable Rice Pilaf
1 small White Onion
1 cup frozen Peas and Carrots Mix
2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic from a jar
1 cup Jasmine Rice
1 1/2 cup Chicken Stock

Peel and finely dice onion, set aside. Place peas and carrots in a strainer. Rinse with cold water to gently thaw, drain and set aside.

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat, add onions, salt and pepper, cook 4 minutes, until tender, add garlic and cook another minute.

Add rice, stirring often, cook 3 minutes. Stir in peas and carrot mix. Add chicken broth, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover, simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid has adsorbed and the rice is tender.

Uncover, fluff with a fork. Serve and enjoy.