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May 28, 2023

Rotisserie Chicken

It is weekend and we are blessed with amazing weather. These kinds of days are made for grilling. Low effort, chill on the deck, pups in the yard, drink in the hand kind of cooking! And what says easy grilling, like a rotisserie chicken that, once rubbed and tines are set, you can let spin its way to juicy deliciousness?!

Note that this recipe assumes that you have a rotisserie grill attachment. I put off buying this for years and finally gave in last year. It has proven to be an awesome tool to have, so I have no regrets with the purchase. We went for the NexGrill Universal Rotisserie kit from Home Depot. We have had a Nexgrill for years, and despite the low cost and it being a big box store grill, we have been super pleased with both the grill and all attachments purchased.

The first step to getting your chicken going is deciding what type of rub you want. Here, you are open to doing as little or as much work as you want. If you have a favorite dry rub that you purchase and love, run with it! I typically have a few homemade and a few store bought spice mixes on hand, so I can run with my whimsy on any day. Cavender’s Greek seasoning is super tasty and Goya has a seasoning for every taste as well. But, it is easy to whip up a batch of rub and keep what is not used in a mason jar, so next time, the work is already done!

Quick Chicken/Pork Rub Recipe

1 Tbsp. each of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Sweet Paprika, Brown Sugar

1 Tsp, each of cinnamon, pepper (fresh ground preferably) and salt

This is enough for roughly a 4 lb. chicken. Double, triple or quadruple the recipe to keep some in the cabinet for other recipes. I use this both for pork and chicken, so it does not go to waste!

Prepping the chicken

Grab a baking sheet with shallow sides that will fit into your grill. This will be your work surface for prepping the chicken, as well as the base under the chicken while on the grill. After patting the chicken completely dry, tuck the wings under the body, spice the inside of the bird with your rub and tie the legs tightly together with kitchen twine to get the legs nice and tight against the bird. Some will say you need to truss the chicken in, what I consider, an expert way, but getting the legs tight against the body is enough. Insert the rotisserie tines from both ends, positioning to get the best grip on the chicken. This can take some time and maneuvering. Once nice and tight, tighten the screws to secure the prongs in place.

Generously rub the chicken all over with spice rub. Make sure to get into creases of the legs and wings and full coverage, back and front. You are ready to go!! Put the rotisserie rod into the rotator attachment and start it up!

Cooking

This is the bit that can get a little tricky. Every grill has its’ own personality. Some burn hot and some are shy. In general, you want to keep the temp at about 400 degrees. I recommend starting with all burners on low and check what temp you get with the lid closed. If temp is spiking, turn 1-2 of the burners off completely to maintain steady heat. It is indirect heat, so which burners is less important than getting the temp in the 375-415 or so range. Once the chicken is on, melt 1/4 cup of butter with a 1/4 cup grapeseed or other high heat oil (I do not recommend olive oil). Once the chicken begins to form an outer crust and there is a little sizzle happening, begin basting occasionally.

For a 4 lb. bird, it will take about 60-90 mins total on the grill. The chicken is done when the middle of the breast is at 160-165 degree and thigh is 150-155 degrees F. Remove and let rest on rotisserie rod for 15-20 mins.

Serving

I served with roasted carrots and broccoli. You could also put sliced potatoes, sweet potatoes or onions in the roasting tray below the chicken to soak up the basting and chicken juices. I will warn though that you need to check the amount of clearance you have from the chicken to the tray, may need to add vegetable stock or more oil as you go, and watch for potential burning. However, if you have a juicy bird, these veggies are amazing!