Smoky Lime Chicken with Grilled Jalapeño Hot Sauce
Ingredients
6 whole bone-in chicken legs (about 4 lbs/2 kg)
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin
Olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) smoked paprika
1 tbsp (15 mL) coriander seeds, bashed in a mortar and pestle
Zest of 1 lime
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce
6 medium jalapeño peppers
4 garlic cloves, peeled
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) pure maple syrup
½ cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
For serving (optional)
Warm corn tortillas
Salsa
Directions
Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken legs in a large bowl, massage with the olive oil, paprika, coriander, and lime zest, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
To begin, preheat a grill for direct, medium-high heat grilling.
Make the hot sauce: When the grill is hot, place the jalapeños directly on the grill grates and cook until beautifully charred all over, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the stems from the jalapeños, place peppers in a blender, and add the garlic, cilantro, green onions, lime juice, syrup, vinegar, and salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I almost always have a bottle or two hanging out in there. Leftover sauce can be used on tacos, burgers, scrambled eggs, or nachos — anywhere you’d like a little heat.
Grill the chicken: Place the chicken directly on the grill grates, skin-side down (skin-side up if you’re using a pellet grill), and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes or so (no need to flip if using a pellet grill) or until perfectly golden, smoke-kissed, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165F/74C. Rest at least 10 minutes before serving with the hot sauce alongside.
Serve with corn tortillas and salsa alongside, if using.
Recipes and photos excerpted with publisher permission from Cook with Confidence by Dennis Prescott. Copyright © 2024 Dennis Prescott. Photography by Dennis Prescott. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.