Lemon Herbed Chicken with Fig Molasses barbecue glaze
Ingredients
- 1 whole Chicken (3 to 5 lbs) Substitute chicken thighs or other parts if desired.
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- For Barbecue Glaze
- 1 cup fresh chopped figs Dry is best, but try fresh if they are ripe and in season.
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 each cinnamon stick
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 4 each green cardamom pods
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
- 2 each small hot chilis
- olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- Cut the whole chicken into 8 to 10 pieces.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Toss the chicken in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Make the barbecue glaze: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add in the onions, galic, ginger, and cinnamon stick. Cook until they begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally. Then add the chopped figs.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Then drop temperature down to low. Allow to simmer for about an hour. Add water if it gets too dry.
- When the figs are somewhat broken down, remove from the heat. Add salt and pepper. Remove the chilis and cardamom pods, and pulse in a blender. It should still be relatively runny. If it is too thick, add a little pomegranate juice or water.
- Preheat a grille to medium high heat. For the holiday, charcoal is preferred, but any grille will do. Grille the chicken. Cook a few minutes per side to get good color. Turn frequently to prevent burning. Cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 to 165 degrees.
- Brush the fig glaze on the chicken pieces and continue cooking. Flip sides and brush on more glaze. Cook a few more minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the grille and brush a little more glaze on. Serve immediately.