Prep Time:  270 mins
Cook Time:  90 mins
Total Time:  360 mins
Servings:  8
Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken with Christie Vanover

This Middle Eastern-style grilled chicken is rubbed with a blend of fragrant, warm spices, giving it a unique and flavorful crust. With this recipe from Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill the chicken is spatchcocked so it cooks faster and is marinated in a Greek yogurt sauce, which makes the chicken extra tender and juicy.

Ingredients

  • 6 lb chicken

Ingredients for the Middle Eastern Rub

  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp granulated garlic
  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp cardamom
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 3/4 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric

Ingredients for Marinade

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice

Items You'll Need

Instructions

  1. Spatchcock the chicken by removing the back bone and pressing the chicken flat. Use a sharp knife to score the chicken across the breast, legs and thighs.
  2. Combine the rub ingredients. Set 2 tablespoons aside.
  3. Mix the yogurt and lemon juice with the remaining rub.
  4. Rub both sides of the chicken with the yogurt mixture working it into slits.
    5. Spatchcocked chicken flipped over on the grill
  5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  6. Heat the grill to 375°F with an indirect heat zone.
  7. After the chicken has marinaged, season the top side with 1 tablespoon of seasoning. Place it on the grill skin side down.
  8. Season the backside with remaining seasoning. Grill for 30 minutes.
  9. Flip grill for another hour or until the internal temperature in the breast and thigh meat reaches 165°F.
    10. Middle Eastern-style grilled chicken plated on a black slate board