MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN WITH MOJO ROJO
It’s the dish every barbecue needs: big, bold flavours, seasonal produce and a technique so simple you won’t believe how effortlessly it comes together.
Marinated grilled chicken with mojo rojo is a Spanish summer classic – succulent, smoky chicken paired with a fiery red sauce borrowed from the palm-fringed, sun-soaked Canary Islands.
Created for us by Ed Cudlipp, it’s a real crowd-pleaser when friends come over, and easy enough for a relaxed al fresco supper in the garden.
Ed uses our Professional knives to break down a whole, free-range chicken into portions, marinating them in a blend of silky Greek yoghurt, garlic, lemon, herbs, spices and honey.
He then grills them low and slow over charcoal, turning carefully until beautifully charred and juicy.
The yoghurt in the marinade helps tenderise the meat, carrying flavour deep into the chicken – resulting in exceptionally succulent meat with a proper smoky finish.
Ed serves it with punchy mojo rojo, made with charred, sweet red peppers blended with red chilli, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, red wine vinegar and almonds, which add body and texture to the sauce.
Arranged on a platter, he dresses the chicken with juice from blackened lemons and finishes the dish with a flourish of coriander and sliced chilli.
SERVES:
4-6
COOKING TIME:
1hr, plus marinating time
INGREDIENTS
Chicken and marinade
Whole, free-range chicken (approx. 1.8–2kg), broken down into breasts, legs and wings
200g Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
Mojo Rojo
4 long sweet red peppers
4 red chillies
5 garlic cloves
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
75g almonds
120ml olive oil
1 tsp fine sea salt
To serve
Fresh coriander
Fresh red chillies, finely sliced
2 lemons, halved
METHOD
STEP 1: BREAK DOWN THE CHICKEN
Using a Professional Flexible Utility Knife, break down the whole chicken into two breasts, two legs and wings. Reserve the carcass for stock.
STEP 2: MARINATE THE CHICKEN
In a large bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, olive oil, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, oregano, honey, salt and pepper.
Mix thoroughly, then coat the chicken pieces in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours, but ideally overnight. The yoghurt helps tenderise the meat while carrying flavour deep into the chicken.
STEP 1: BREAK DOWN THE CHICKEN
Using a Professional Flexible Utility Knife, break down the whole chicken into two breasts, two legs and wings. Reserve the carcass for stock.
STEP 2: MARINATE THE CHICKEN
In a large bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, olive oil, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, oregano, honey, salt and pepper.
Mix thoroughly, then coat the chicken pieces in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours, but ideally overnight. The yoghurt helps tenderise the meat while carrying flavour deep into the chicken.
STEP 3: MAKE THE MOJO ROJO
Light the barbecue.
Place the sweet red peppers directly over the heat using Radford Bright Extra Large Chef’s Tongs and cook until blackened and charred all over.
Transfer to a tray and allow to cool slightly, then peel away the blackened skins to reveal the soft cooked flesh.
Add the peeled peppers to a blender along with the red chillies, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, red wine vinegar, almonds, olive oil and salt.
Blend until completely smooth. The almonds help give the sauce body and a richer texture.
STEP 4: GRILL THE CHICKEN
Build a nice even bed of charcoal and keep the heat relatively low – this is about controlled cooking rather than aggressive heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip away.
Cook the breasts for approximately 10 minutes, turning regularly with Chef’s Tongs, until cooked through with good colour.
Cook the legs for approximately 20-30 minutes over the lower heat, turning regularly, until fully cooked and beautifully charred.
Grill the wings alongside until crisp and cooked through.
STEP 5: BURN THE LEMONS
Place the lemon halves cut-side down over the grill until deeply charred.
STEP 6: SERVE
Spread a generous layer of mojo rojo across a serving plate.
Arrange the grilled chicken over the top, then finish with fresh coriander, sliced red chilli and the burnt lemons for squeezing over.
STEP 3: MAKE THE MOJO ROJO
Light the barbecue.
Place the sweet red peppers directly over the heat using Radford Bright Extra Large Chef’s Tongs and cook until blackened and charred all over.
Transfer to a tray and allow to cool slightly, then peel away the blackened skins to reveal the soft cooked flesh.
Add the peeled peppers to a blender along with the red chillies, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, red wine vinegar, almonds, olive oil and salt.
Blend until completely smooth. The almonds help give the sauce body and a richer texture.
STEP 4: GRILL THE CHICKEN
Build a nice even bed of charcoal and keep the heat relatively low – this is about controlled cooking rather than aggressive heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip away.
Cook the breasts for approximately 10 minutes, turning regularly with Chef’s Tongs, until cooked through with good colour.
Cook the legs for approximately 20-30 minutes over the lower heat, turning regularly, until fully cooked and beautifully charred.
Grill the wings alongside until crisp and cooked through.
STEP 5: BURN THE LEMONS
Place the lemon halves cut-side down over the grill until deeply charred.
STEP 6: SERVE
Spread a generous layer of mojo rojo across a serving plate.
Arrange the grilled chicken over the top, then finish with fresh coriander, sliced red chilli and the burnt lemons for squeezing over.