Grilling and Smoking Chicken

SPRING IS HERE!
Time to get the grill out!

By Aaron Ralston

Chicken is one of my favorite meats to cook. It is low in fat, high in protein, and if

cooked correctly, it will definitely be a crowd pleaser. There are many different
recipes for grilling and smoking chicken, and I have included my two favorite
recipes below. I am known as The Smoker King, and I am the author and
Webmaster of “Outdoor Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs,” so you can bet
that my favorite way to cook chicken is outdoors, on a grill or smoker.

The first recipe is one that I use when I cook chicken fajitas. The marinade gives a
tequila-lime twist to the chicken, which is great for Mexican-type dishes. The
second recipe is my take on the famous beer can chicken recipe. Through my
experience, I have found that placing the chicken on a beer can throne while it is
smoking produces a juicy, tender bird. Smoking chicken is one of my favorite ways
to cook chicken, and after you have tried this recipe, I believe that you will really like
smoking chicken too.

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

4-Chicken Breasts

2-Cups of Margarita Mix (I prefer Mr. and Mrs. T's)

1/2-Cup Vinegar

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1-Tbsp Onion Powder

1-Tbsp Garlic Powder

1-Tbsp Cajun Seasoning

Lemon Pepper

Option for a kicked up version: Add one shot of Tequila

Recipe:

1. Trim chicken breasts to remove fat

2. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound the each chicken breast until they
are about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.

3. Mix all ingredients into a bowl just big enough to hold the chicken breasts while
they are completely covered in the marinade.

4. Add chicken breasts, and refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour. The longer they stay in
the marinade, the more Tequila lime taste they will have.

5. Season both sides of the chicken with Lemon Pepper before grilling.

6. Grill over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes per side. Times may vary
depending on heat, just make sure that the meat is white throughout the breast,
and the juices run clear.

This is a great recipe for chicken fajitas.

Here is my recipe for Cajun smoked, beer-can chicken.

Injection Ingredients:

1. A 3 or 4 pound chicken

2. 1/2 cup melted butter (room temperature)

3. 2 tablespoons of Tony Chachere's seasoning (more for a spicier chicken)

4. 1-teaspoon garlic powder

5. 1/2 cup vinegar

Rub Ingredients:

1. Olive oil

2. Tony Chachere's seasoning.

Mop Ingredients:

1. Apple Cider

2. A Spray Bottle

Other:

1. A beer of your choice (1/2 full)

2. 3 cloves of garlic

3. About 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic

Directions:

1. Whisk all injection ingredients together.

2. Using a kitchen syringe, inject the liquid into various spots on the chicken. Try to
be even as possible, injecting about 1/2 of the mixture into the breasts, and the
other 1/2 throughout the rest of the chicken.

3. Rub the chicken down with olive oil, and apply an even layer of Tony's to the bird.

4. Drink half of the beer, widen the opening at the top of the can, then put the garlic
and onion in the can.

5. Place the bird on the can. It should sit up by itself.

6. Preheat your smoker to about 250 F degrees. I use hickory for chicken, charcoal
works well too.

7. Put the chicken on the smoker and spray the chicken with the apple cider about
every 30 minutes.

8. Smoke the chicken for 3-4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest
meat reaches 180 F Degrees.

I hope you enjoy both recipes as much as I do. You can find many more at my
website listed below.

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor
Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at
http://www.thesmokerking.com. Check out thesmokerking.com today to learn
many great barbeque and cooking recipes and techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_Ralston
http://EzineArticles.com/?Grilling-and-Smoking-Chicken&id=123189

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