Grilled chicken cooked with the combined fragrance and flavour of freshly ground black pepper and freshly squeezed lemon… hmmmm…
“The disparity between a restaurant’s price and food quality rises in direct proportion to the size of the pepper mill.” – Bryan Q. MillerThe Fact: It is believed that when the Goths defeated Rome in 410, they demanded a ransom of 3,000 pounds of pepper, along with other valuables such as silk. The Inspiration: Although we live a hop, skip and jump away from my parents and my in-laws, a Sunday family meal with them does not take place that often. This Sunday was different. We had a late and well-deserved, fun Saturday night and a mild hung-over Sunday morning; nothing that a hot cup of coffee and a quick shower couldn’t fix. On a day like this, when you’re expecting your in-laws for lunch, a quick meal, like this one, was just perfect. So that’s my inspiration for this addition—a quick, homely and simple recipe.
The Ingredients
Serves approximately 6 people- 1 kg chicken cut into roughly 8 – 10 pieces
- 5 tablespoons barbeque sauce
- 1 tablespoons soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
- 1 medium or ½ large lemon
- 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil
The Method
- Wash well and drain the chicken pieces. Dry the chicken pieces using a kitchen towel.
- Mix all the above ingredients (except the olive oil) for the marinade.
- Slit the chicken pieces so that the marinade permeates the meat.
- Apply the marinade to each chicken pieces carefully, remembering to massage the marinade into the slits as well. Place chicken pieces in a baking dish and pour the remaining marinade over it.
- Allow the chicken to sit covered on the counter or in the refrigerator for about 20 – 30 minutes. Refrigeration is preferred if your kitchen is warm and not at room temperature.
- Ten minutes before your marination time’s up, preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Drizzle the dish with the olive oil and pop it into the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes.
- Your chicken’s done when the meat seems to leave the bone easily and the meat doesn’t look pink and raw. You can prick it with a skewer or fork to check. Remove the chicken from the oven and serve while it’s hot.
Note: I used chicken on the bone; if you’re using boneless chicken, your meal should be done in 20 minutes.
You could serve the chicken with a salad on the side. I also added a lovely garlic-flavoured potato mash (mashed potato) with it. A light white wine will make for a great drink to go with the meal.
A lovely Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay, some country music in the background, a few sways in the kitchen, a lovely sit-down meal, followed by a cosy nap! A perfect end to the weekend!
How cool…looked really easy man Marsha.. can you tell me if i had to use the microwave instead of an oven, then what would be the temperature settings?
It sure is easy, Megha! I actually made mine in the microwave (not the oven) with the regular Convection setting at 190°C, so you can do the same. The chicken cooked in about 35 minutes because I used chicken on the bone (for boneless 20 minutes is fine). I left it in for another 3 minutes to get a darker brown on the chicken. If your oven/microwave tends to overheat, first cook it for 20 to 25 minutes and check before extending the cooking time further. Another simple way to cook this, especially if you’re not sure of the microwave settings, is to pan-fry your chicken – simpler, quicker, and a whole lot juicier! 🙂 I’d love to hear how this turns out and what method you used…
I’m just trying this one, Marsha! Will tell ya how it turns out!