Until this recipe I had never removed the back bone from a chicken to cook it. After this recipe I may never cook chicken without removing it again.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix chicken
- 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 lb)
- 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed, cleaned
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Lime wedges
Directions
- Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small bowl, mix oil and taco seasoning mix. Set aside.
- Place chicken, breast side down, on cutting board. Using kitchen scissors, cut along one side of backbone, starting at thigh and working up toward wing. Repeat on other side of backbone; remove backbone from chicken. Discard backbone, or reserve for making stock. Turn breast side up, and press down firmly on breastbone until chicken flattens. Brush chicken all over with oil mixture.
- Place chicken on grill, breast side down, over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 8 minutes, then turn 90 degrees, and cook, covered, 8 minutes longer. Turn breast side up, and cook, covered, 11 to 17 minutes longer or until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads at least 165°F. Transfer to cutting board. Rest, tented with foil, 5 minutes. Carve chicken into 8 serving pieces.
- Meanwhile, brush corn with melted butter. Place corn on grill. Cover grill; cook 12 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned in spots. Transfer to cutting board; let stand 5 to 7 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Cut kernels from ears of corn. Discard cobs. In medium bowl, mix corn kernels, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, salt and pepper. Serve chicken with corn salad and lime wedges.
