LABOR DAY RECIPE: RELAX. GRILL. RELAX.
RECIPE COURTESY OF: Aspire by Hestan and Niloo Sarshar, Culinary Content Coordinator
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WITH GRILLED CORN AND CRISPY POTATO WEDGES
Labor Day is the unofficial end to summer and all the festivities it has to offer: kids go back to school, summer Fridays come to an end and vacationing season is put on pause until the holidays. Let’s make Labor Day weekend the last hurrah and throw an amazing party to celebrate! Backyard BBQs always require work for the person in charge of grilling, so why not utilize the rotisserie option and let the grill do all the work so you can grab a drink and kick your feet up one last time?
What’s so great about this recipe is you can cook your protein and sides essentially all at the same time. While the chicken cooks and becomes a beautiful golden brown, all the delicious drippings fall straight onto the potatoes, infusing them with the most amazing flavor. In my house, we fight over the “chicken dripping potatoes”; they become super crispy on the outside while still maintaining a fluffy and creamy interior. Even though the beautiful chicken is the star, the potatoes may steal the show.
As far as the grilled corn, I see Labor Day as my last opportunity to utilize all of the amazing summer produce, and we all know corn is at its prime. I like to keep it easy and simply grill my corn until it has a beautiful char, then slather it with some butter and salt. Does it get any better than that?
I hope you enjoy your Labor Day weekend surrounded by friends and family – and lots of delicious food.
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken, about 3½ to 4 lbs
3 lbs russet or Yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges
4 ears of yellow corn, out of the husk
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Begin by seasoning the chicken, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Make sure you season it liberally.
2) Tie the chicken legs and wings with butcher’s twine to prevent them from moving during the cooking process.
3) Skewer the chicken onto the rotisserie spit rod. Attach the forks on the spit rod to the breast and tail areas. Be sure the forks press tightly so the chicken is secure.
4) Insert the rotisserie rod into the grill. Turn the rotisserie motor on and the infrared burner to high.
5) Place the potato wedges on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place underneath the chicken.
6) Allow the chicken and potatoes to cook for 1½ hours or until chicken is golden brown and internal temperature reads 165⁰ F and the potatoes are cooked through.
7) About 20 minutes before the chicken is done, turn on the far-left burner to high. Allow to preheat for 5 minutes, then place corn onto the grill.
8) Grill the corn for 15 minutes, making sure to rotate 4 or 5 times.
9) Remove the chicken from the spit rod and serve with potatoes and corn. Enjoy!