The Spring Equinox has passed and the sunny days make me want to eat summery food. The cold evenings however don’t make me want to BBQ my dinner each night. This sweet and smoky (and very simple) marinaded chicken gets a BBQ type flavour from the marinade, but is cooked in the oven and finished in a griddle pan on the hob.
Kids love the sweet flavour of the maple, and along with the smoked paprika, this tastes as good as any BBQ. I don’t think my toddler daughter is alone in being a little carnivore and loving to gnaw her meat from bones, finger food is generally fun food. I haven’t tried this on pork yet, but I suspect a pork chop marinaded and cooked in the same fashion would be lovely.
Awesome weekend food.
Ingredients – serves 2
2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
Juice of half a lime
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
4 chicken joints, legs things or a mixture. Skin on
Method
Mix together everything but the chicken in a large mixing bowl.
Slash/score the chicken through the skin and the meat, not all the way through or to the bone, but just enough to let the marinade get further in. Add the chicken to the marinade and give it at least an hour, ideally let it sit for 3-4 hours.
When you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 180 degrees C, and when hot, place the chicken in a ceramic dish, well spaced, on the top shelf for about 25 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and piping hot.
Remove from the oven, and heat a griddle pan over a high heat, adding the chicken when it gets hot. Keep the chicken moving, you don’t want it to stick or burn, but are looking to char the edges and skin slightly. This should take about 10 minutes.
For the true British BBQ vibe, invite in some wasps to hover by your ear, looming clouds and a paddling pool filled with freezing water. Or you could serve this with some good coleslaw, sweet potato wedges and a big salad.
Family Fork 
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