Sumac BBQ chicken with quinoa

Grilling chicken on the BBQ is simply a technique; you can use any combination of seasoning or other ingredients to give it a sweet, sour or spicy taste. Sumac grows in clusters on a tree, and it is considered a tangy fruit. It is dried, then transformed into a powder and is widely used in the middle east. It is deep red in colour and has a bold sour, and tangy taste.

Adding sumac to any salad lends it an extra tang. If you have not tried the middle-eastern fattoush salad, see the video here.

As for the quinoa salad, it is so easy to prepare, fresh, aromatic and citrusy. In addition, the combination of all the herbs gives the digestive system a boost. This recipe is diabetic friendly and gluten free.

Remember that grilling on a BBQ is just a technique you master well with repetition.

Servings: 2-3

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour.

grilling: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the chicken marinade:

900 grams whole baby chicken

2 large white onions

4 tablespoons sumac

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the quinoa salad:

½ cup quinoa (see notes)

½ cup fresh mint

½ cup parsley

¼ cup basil

¼ cup dill

½ cup green onions

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

2 cucumbers

Salt to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

· Spatchcock the chicken by laying it on the board breast side down. Press on the spin with the palm to crack the back bone.

· With a sharp knife, cut along the right side of the spine and repeat on the left side and discard the backbone.

· Sprinkle the chicken with sumac, salt and pepper, rub well and drizzle with olive oil. Place on a platter to marinate in the fridge from 2 hours up to 2 days.

· Peel the onions and insert two skewers through them to split into thirds, as seen in the video. Slice between each skewer, then season with salt and rub with olive oil on both sides.

· Preheat the BBQ to medium.

· Place the skewers on BBq on medium heat, and once the first side is slightly chard and opaque, flip to the other side. Grilling takes no more than 7 to ten minutes.

· Bring the chicken to room temperature before grilling. Place it bone side down, and grill with the lid closed on direct medium heat for about 20 to 25 minutes. When the chicken lifts with no resistance, then it is ready to flip.

· Grill on the other side for a further 15 minutes or so. When the juices run clear as you insert a knife in the thickest part of the chicken, it is ready. If you are not sure, insert the thermometer into the thickest part, and the internal temperature should read 76-77 C.

· Place on a board and leave to rest from five to ten minutes.

· Cook the quinoa as in the video here. Cool and place in a bowl.

· Chop all the herbs and cucumber and add to the quinoa, finish with salt and lemon juice. You can add some olive oil if you desire to.

· Cut the chicken into halves or quarters. Separate the onion ring with a fork and place them on the side of the salad with the cut chicken or serve seperatly.

Notes:

· The grilling time of the chicken depends on the size; this recipe uses a 900-gram chicken.

· If you prefer grilling chicken breasts, then follow my grilled chicken caser salad recipe.

· For the method of cooking quinoa, press link.

· You can add any herb and any vegetable to the salad. Try adding cubed cooked beets.

Per Serving: 802 Calories; 54g Fat (59.8% calories from fat); 43g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 149mg Cholesterol; 1593mg Sodium.