Heavily spiced and intensely garlicky, this charcoal-grilled chicken can be found at roadside restaurants all over Panama, served with rice and fresh avocado. This recipe first appeared in our June/July 2013 issue with Todd Coleman’s article Garlic and Flame.
Pollo Al Ajillo (Panamanian Garlic Chicken)
Heavily spiced and intensely garlicky, this charcoal-grilled chicken can be found at roadside restaurants all over Panama served with rice and fresh avocado.
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 (3-4-lb.) chicken, quartered
- 3 bay leaves
- 25 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1⁄2 cup sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp. ground allspice
Instructions
- Place chicken and bay leaves in a bowl. Purée garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp. water in a food processor to a smooth paste. Add juice, vinegar, black pepper, Worcestershire, and allspice; purée until smooth. Rub mixture over chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high; bank coals or turn burner off on one side (see Grilling 101. Remove chicken from marinade; grill on hottest part of grill, flipping once, until slightly charred and cooked through, 25-30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165°. If the outside starts to burn before the chicken is fully cooked, move to the cooler side of the grill until done.