There’s a part in Ivanhoe, where Wamba the jester is explaining to Gurth the swineherd how all the animals have a Saxon name like “swine” or “cow” or “calf” when they’re being tended to, but when it’s time to eat they get a Norman name like “pork” or “beef” or “veal.” Lazy Normans.
Chicken is just chicken, though, whether it’s alive or dead. Which is weird because French people like chicken so much, you’d think they’d’ve been all over that one. I guess we say poultry. That’s from French.
Anyhow, here’s a really simple way to make chicken and asparagus when it’s too hot to make anything in your kitchen, which it will be sooner than you think. Also, I like to make this one because chicken is the only animal I know how to break down and breaking down a whole animal makes me feel like a pro.
Grilled Chicken and Asparagus
one whole chicken quartered, or a bunch of bone-in chicken parts with the skin
olive oil
salt
pepper
asparagus
Start a fire going in your grill. Don’t use a ton of coals because you’re only going to want to have the coals on only one half of the grill in the end.
Wait for while for the grill to get hot. For chicken, you should be good to go when the coals are coated in gray ash but you can’t see the red glow through the ash yet.
While you’re waiting for the grill to get hot, put just a little bit of olive oil in a small bowl with salt and pepper and brush the chicken with it. Wash the asparagus and break off the woody part at the bottom of the stalk. If you just bend the asparagus at the bottom it will naturally break off at the right spot. If the asparagus is really thick, take a peeler and peel the bottom half (if you feel like it). Now just sit down and watch the sun set or look at the birds in the trees or something. There’s nothing you can do to make the grill get hotter faster, so you may as well have a moment to yourself. Have a beer or an ice tea.
When the coals are ready, pile them up on one side of the grill and put the grate on. Put the chicken parts skin side down on the side of the grill with the coals. Just do this for a minute or two.
Move them to the other side of the grill skin side up and put the lid on. Leave them be for about 20-25 minutes.
When you’ve only got 6-7 minutes left. Throw the asparagus on the grill on the side with the coals. Make sure they are perpendicular to the grate so they don’t fall into the coals. Turn them once.
Pull it all from the grill and you’re done.
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