Vertical Grilled Herbed Chicken

Whole roasted chicken is classic. It is a meal that will never be out of vogue and a technique every cook needs to know.

However, this treasured classic recipe doesn’t have to be limited to the oven and laying flat in a roasting pan. In fact, there is great satisfaction in roasting a chicken vertically on the grill.

Vertical Grilled Herbed Chicken combines three techniques into one recipe, resulting in a slightly smoky, herbaceous, tender roasted chicken.

Brine Marinade

The key to this well-seasoned whole bird is its marinade. This recipe combines a salty, mustardy brine with an olive oil-based herb marinade. The combination of these two flavoring techniques creates an overnight marinade resulting in a thoroughly seasoned and tenderized chicken.  

Vertical Roast

Positioning chicken vertically on the grill results in an evenly cooked exterior (i.e. irresistible crispy skin!). To accomplish this task there are two approaches.

1. Use a vertical roaster. A quick google search will yield a handful of options to purchase. I use a metal variety that is both oven and grill safe.
2. If you don’t want to purchase another kitchen gadget, feel free to use a beer can. To achieve this, open a 12-ounce beer can and empty enough to have the can 3/4ths of the way filled. Place the chicken on top of the can and use as the recipe instructs. (Be sure to handle carefully, depending on the weight of the chicken, the can of beer can easily topple over!)

Grill

A vertical roasted chicken can also be achieved in the oven. However, utilizing a grill for this particular recipe adds a layer of smokey grilled goodness. To achieve this, set up your grill for indirect cooking at 350-400°F. This can be done in several ways depending on your grill setup. The simplest method for a charcoal grill is to push your charcoal pile to one side of the coal area and place the chicken on the other side atop the cooking grate. This will require you to turn the chicken during the cooking process to cook the exterior evenly. For a gas grill, use the same approach, only using a portion of the burners for heating and keeping the chicken on the other side, also rotating as necessary. Keep in mind that in order to grill chicken vertically, the lid of the grill will have to be able to close over the height of the chicken.

Market Street has the key to creating the most delicious of roasted birds—quality, market-fresh chicken and herbs. These two ingredients are the key to this flavorful meal. Both Market Street’s meat and produce departments never fail.

I also want to highlight another key ingredient to this recipe and its marinade: extra-virgin olive oil. Quality olive oil will enrich whichever dish you use it with. Market Steet’s selection of olive oil is vast, and my favorite is Lucini. This bottle of golden goodness is a beautiful elixir and will make a difference in your kitchen.

Jump in to grilling season with a spin on a classic—roasted chicken, cooked vertically on the grill.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Market Street. All opinions are my own.

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Vertical Grilled Herbed Chicken

The marinade can be used as a pan sauce. Keep in mind it is salty and should be served in small portions. If you can only find 5-lb chickens, no worries, however if a larger chicken is used, only one chicken will be able to fit inside of a plastic bag.

Ingredients

• 2 2 1/2 lb whole chickens
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 bay leaves, torn in half
• handful fresh thyme
• handful fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup tarragon leaves
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 5 garlic cloves
• optional 3 teaspoons corn starch

Instructions

• Combine the water, red pepper flakes, ground mustard, kosher salt and bay leaves. Warm over medium heat until the salt and mustard have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the thyme, sage and Worcestershire. Stir to combine and let cool for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the olive oil, tarragon, basil and garlic into a food processor. Blitz until a loose paste is formed. Add the olive-oil herb mixture into the brine (the water-salt mixture). Stir to combine the newly formed marinade.
• Once the marinade is at room temperature (to speed up the cooling process, I add a few pieces of ice), place the chicken into a large sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Place the chicken into the fridge and marinate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Be sure to flip the plastic bag every 2 to 3 hours to ensure even marination.
• When ready to cook, heat the grill to 400 degrees. To achieve this, set up your grill for indirect cooking at 350-400°F. This can be done in several ways depending on your grill setup. The simplest method for a charcoal grill is to push your charcoal pile to one side of the coal area and place the chicken on the other side atop the cooking grate. This will require you to turn the chicken during the cooking process to cook the exterior evenly. For a gas grill, use the same approach, only using a portion of the burners for heating and keeping the chicken on the other side, also rotating as necessary. Keep in mind that in order to grill chicken vertically, the lid of the grill will have to be able to close over the height of the chicken.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and place onto a vertical chicken roaster. Set the marinade aside.
• Place the chicken onto the heated grill. Close the grill lid and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Turn the chicken about halfway through. Remove the chickens from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce to a simmer. Once simmering, remove 1/2 cup of liquid and place into a small bowl. Add the corn starch and whisk until it has dissolved. Pour the slurry back into the simmering marinade, whisking to combine. Continue to let simmer until thickened. Keep warm.
• Cut the chicken into serving portions and serve with a small side of thickened pan sauce.