Tired of the same ole, same ole chicken recipes? Well this Achiote Lime Brick Pressed Chicken recipe is anything but that! Spatchcocked, marinated and brick pressed; this bird was extraordinary. Then, I used some direct and indirect cooking techniques with my trusty Cowboy Charcoal to ensure this chicken was cooked to perfection! It was a bit spicy, a bit tangy and a whole lot of yum! Let me tell you how it all went down.
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Achiote Lime Marinade… Do the Prep Work
This is one of those recipes that begins the day before you cook it. That’s right, it’s marinade time! I’ve done several marinade recipes in the past, and if you haven’t checked them out I would encourage you to! I love marinade recipes because it makes dinner the following day a breeze! It also creates a depth of flavor that’s hard to achieve otherwise. All we have to do for this achiote lime brick pressed chicken marinade is take all the ingredients and toss them into a blender. Blend until smooth and then lather your chicken in it.
Speaking of chicken, let’s talk about spatchcock. Spatchcock refers to the removal of the chicken’s backbone so that it will lay flat as it cooks. This helps the chicken cook faster and more evenly. It also makes for a pretty photogenic chicken, so that’s a nice pro too. Once you cut the backbone from the chicken, flip the chicken over and gently (but also firmly) press down on the breast bone. This will help the chicken lay completely flat. I spatchcocked my achiote lime chicken before placing it in a large bowl and lathering it in the marinade.
For more fire food, check out my cookbook!
Bricks, Not Just for Houses Anymore
Light up those coals the following evening when dinnertime comes rolling around. Then, dump the coals on one side of the grill, leaving the other side without them. I set the coals up this way because we’ll cook part of the chicken directly over the coals, and then move it to the other side of the grill (the side without the coals) to finish up.
Grab the achiote lime chicken from the fridge and place it chest side down on the grill. Then, grab two bricks and wrap them in foil. Next, place the bricks on top of the chicken as it’s cooking. This helps cook the chicken faster, and is where the achiote lime brick pressed chicken name comes into play! Leave the chicken to cook here for 5-7 minutes. Lastly, remove the bricks and move the chicken to the other side of the grill once it’s developed a nice crust. It will cook indirectly from here for the remainder of the cook.
Serving Up the Achiote Lime Brick Pressed Chicken
As the chicken continues to cook, pour some of the leftover marinade into a cast iron sauce bowl. Then, place the sauce bowl on the grill and bring it to a bowl. After it’s boiled for about 10 minutes, you can use it as a baste for the chicken. I basted the chicken periodically as it finished cooking to create an even juicier and flavorful meat.
Pull the chicken from the grill once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. I set the whole chicken on a service dish and garnished with some sour cream and cilantro. Best enjoyed with friends and family. Cheers!
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Achiote Lime Brick Pressed Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 Spatchcocked Chicken
- Boiled Leftover Marinade
- Sour Cream for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
- Limes for garnish
Marinade:
- 1.5 tbsp of Achiote Paste
- 1/4 cup of White Wine Vinegar
- 8-10 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper
- 4 Limes juiced
- 1 tbsp of Green Onions sliced
- 2 tbsp of Cilantro
- 1 tbsp of Honey
- 1.5 tsp of Sea Salt
- 1 tsp of Pepper
Instructions
- To spatchcock your chicken, use a very sharp knife. Begin by flipping the chicken over so that the backbone is facing you. Starting at the top near the neck, carefully cut one side of the backbone out while not harming the breast on the other side. Once one side is free, begin slicing the opposite side of the backbone out until it is completely free. Set the backbone aside to use for stock later. Flip the chicken over and spread out so that it starts to lay flat. Press firmly down on the chicken breast until you feel a snap. The chicken should lay completely flat and be dspatchcocked.
- Place the chicken into a bowl or food safe container. Add all your marinade ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Lather the chicken down with the marinade and then place in the fridge. Let sit for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.
- Preheat your grill using Cowboy Charcoal for 2-zone grilling at a medium high temperature (around 350F).
- Wrap two fire bricks in foil and place them directly over the hot side of the grill to preheat for 5 minutes.
- Pull your chicken out and place your leftover marinade into a separate container. Add the chicken breast side down over the direct heat with the two bricks on top of it. Cook this chicken for about 7-10 minutes until it has developed a nice crust. Carefully flip it over and place it on the indirect cool side of the grill. Continue cooking the chicken for another 45-60 minutes until it reaches 165F internal all over.
- As the chicken is smoking on the indirect side of the grill, add your leftover marinade to a skillet and boil it over high heat for 10 minutes. As the chicken is getting close to coming off, begin basting with the boiled leftover marinade. Once the chicken is done, pull it off and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with limes, chopped cilantro and sour cream. Serve and enjoy!
