Cummulative Rating Servings
Serves 4 Difficulty
medium
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, washed and dried 4 Tablespoons chive butter* 6 garlic cloves 5 thyme sprigs 1 leek, white part chopped 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 wedges Salt and pepper
*For chive butter
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 2 cups coarsely chopped chives 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Light a grill over high heat. For chive butter: Place chives and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a food processor and process until smooth. Place butter in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Add chive mixture, dijon and lemon juice to the butter and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper mixing well. Transfer chive butter to a sheet of parchment paper in dolops horizontally in a line across the middle of the parchment. Fold the bottom half of the parchment in half over the butter and with a ruler, press it towards you to make a log. Twist the ends of the parchment (like a tootsie roll) and freeze for up to 6 months. Soak a plank for at least 30 minutes. Let the chive butter soften. Add 2 Tablespoons chive butter, 2 thinly sliced cloves of garlic, and leaves from 2 thyme sprigs to a small bowl and mix well. Rub the mixture under and over the skin of the chicken. Crush the remaining garlic and add to the chicken cavity along with remaining chive butter, leeks, lemon and remaining thyme sprigs. Season the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out. Rub the top surface of the plank with a little oil and place the chicken on the plank. For a gas grill, turn one side of the grill off and place the plank on the off side. Close grill and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. For a charcoal grill, place planked chicken to the side of the coals, indirect heat, cover and cook for same amount of time. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F. When chicken is done, remove and let sit for 10 minutes before carving.
Tips
Chive butter can be made ahead and frozen for many uses.