Mexican spiced, grilled whole chicken

SERVES 6

for the chicken

1 whole chicken 2-3 lbs (we used a Rocky Jr.)

1/2 cup cumin

1/2 cup coriander

1/2 cup chili powder

salt (kosher or sea)

freshly ground black pepper



The first step with this wonderful dish is to butterfly the chicken. By doing this you allow the bird to cook evenly while on the grill. After this step you can season the chicken with the sea salt and ground pepper. Be generous when seasoning before grilling, as you will loose a fair amount when the juices from the chicken start to run. Prepare your rub by mixing the ground coriander, cumin and chili powder in a bowl. Rub this mixture all over the butterflied bird and let it marinate for about an hour.

Once the grill is ready, the chicken should cook for about 45 minutes, evenly on the back side and the front side. Note, that the spices will blacken so don’t be afraid if the skin starts to get dark.



+ Feel free to use this rub on a cut up (legs, breast, thighs) and either grill or bake.



+ Also try rubbing a whole unbutterflied chicken and roasting it whole in a 400 degree preheated oven for about an hour. Remember to the let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes after the completed cooking time.

for the slaw


1 ear of corn

1 whole avocado cut into small squares

1 large heirloom tomato, chopped

4 small gypsy peppers, cored, seeded and finely sliced

+ Gypsy peppers are a smallish, sweet varietal with a thin wall and floral characteristics. It they

are not available, any other sweet or bell pepper can be substituted.

fresh lime juice (two whole limes)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper



Start this dish by peeling and grilling the corn. Make sure it gets a bit of color, but there is no need to cook it too long, about 5 minutes while turning. When the corn is finished, cut the kernels off of the cob. This step is easiest if the corn is placed horizontally in the cutting board. Place all of the ingredients into a bowl including the lime juice and olive oil. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and let the dish stand, refrigerated for and hour or until the chicken is cooked.


for the tomatillo sauce


15 medium sized tomatillo tomatoes, husks removed

medium size onion cut into quarters

3 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

+this will make a medium to hot salsa, if you like less heat use 1/2 a pepper, if you like more then you are free to add at your own risk.

fresh cilantro (one handful chopped)

fresh oregano (one small handful chopped)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper



For the sauce, begin by tossing the tomatillos, onion and the jalapeno with olive oil, salt and pepper and then placing them on the grill for about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and let cool. Place these ingredients and the garlic and herbs in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



+ Like the chicken, if no grill is available, roast the tomatillos, onion and jalapeno in the oven for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.