Rosemary Rock Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken halves, with all bones removed except for the wing bone, if possible (ask your butcher to do this for you)
1 handful fresh rosemary, stemmed
1 handful fresh thyme, stemmed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Other Materials
Aluminum foil
Resealable plastic bag
Cooking grate
Frozen ice pack
Rocks about the size of each chicken piece
Preparation
1. Place chicken halves in a resealable plastic bag. Add herbs, salt and pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Squeeze out air before sealing. Massage marinade around chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for two to four hours.
2. Pack chicken with ice pack and hike to your desired destination. Build a fire and set a cooking grate over the coals. Find four rocks that are approximately the same size as each chicken half. Wrap with aluminum foil.
3. Remove chicken from marinade and discard garlic slices. Place chicken on the grate, skin side down and place a foil-covered rock on top of each chicken half (the weight helps ensure uniformly crispy skin). Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until skin is golden brown and crispy. Remove rocks, turn chicken over, place rocks back on top, and cook for approximately 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked throughout. Let chicken rest for five minutes before serving.
Yield: 4 servings
Suggested Wine Pairing
The food-friendly Redwood Creek 2006 Pinot Noir complements the crispy texture of this chicken dish, while the wine’s ripe flavors of blackberry and black cherry enhance the flavors of fresh fragrant herbs.
