A char-grilled boneless chicken stuffed with sweet peppers and spicy sausage slices beautifully for serving. - LIFESTYLE MEDIA GROUP/DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE
WHETHER IT'S Dennis, Emily, or Franklin, don't let stormy weather drain your appetite. If the mood strikes, feast on the mouth-watering stuffed chicken below or curl up with a comforting bowl of mac and cheese. Add some oomph with grated cheddar or parmesan, a sprinkling of -
Mrs. Dash and pepper on top.
SUCCESS TIPS:
To test a whole chicken (bone-in or boneless) for -
doneness, an instant-read - thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh or leg meat (not the stuffing) should register 180ºF.
Chicken breasts are -
considered done and safe to -
eat when the thickest part of -
the meat registers 170ºF.
One ingenious way of -
keeping boned chicken mouth-wateringly succulent is a moist, flavourful stuffing followed by searing, then slow-grilling over indirect heat. This treatment is successful with boneless breast halves or with a whole chicken that's been boned; it is not appropriate for bone-in meat.
The stuffed chicken below is capable of accommodating an astounding range of marinades, sauces and grilling styles. About the only way to ruin it on the grill is to allow it to dry out, which, unfortunately, is easy to do with boneless chicken.
Stuffed Grilled Chicken
2 each red and yellow sweet peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
1 whole boned chicken with skin intact (approximately 4 1/2 lb), or 6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin intact
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt, to taste
3/4 lb smoked sausage
Oil, for grill
1 lemon, juiced (or 1/2 lime)
METHOD
1. Cut roasted red and yellow bell peppers into 1/2-inch-wide strips, reserving any juices. Reserve and refrigerate peppers and any juices.
2. Rub skin of chicken thoroughly with olive oil and garlic. Lay chicken, skin side down, flat on work surface. Lightly salt interior; if the meat was not pounded at the market, use a mallet to pound and flatten the flesh for more even cooking and a pleasing appearance.
3. Cut each sausage in half or quarters lengthwise. Lay half of the sausage pieces lengthwise, about 1/4 inch from the right edge of the neck-to-tail opening in the chicken and the other half of the sausage 1/4 inch from the left edge. (Cut sausage into shorter lengths if using chicken breast halves.)
4. Spread roasted peppers over inner surface of chicken.
5. Tightly roll chicken around the sausage and peppers, so that the sides meet in the centre to form a roll. Tie chicken with kitchen string approximately every 2 inches. Cover and refrigerate until shortly before grilling time.
6. Prepare grill for indirect-heat method of cooking. When fire is ready, place chicken on lightly oiled grill rack directly over the coals. Sear on all sides, about five to seven minutes total for boned whole chicken or three to four minutes for boneless breast halves. Place chicken -
over drip pan to cook over -
indirect heat. Close grill lid. Cook, turning occasionally and brushing chicken with some of the lemon juice after each turn, until a thermometer indicates meat is done and safe to eat (approximately one hour for whole boned chicken or -
approximately 30 to 45 minutes for boneless breast halves).
7. When meat tests done, transfer to platter, remove string and slice into 1-inch-thick pieces.
Serves 6.
