Try Bobby and Sophie Flay's Smoky Split Chicken Recipe

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You’ll enjoy this recipe from Sundays with Sophie.

The aroma of chicken cooking outdoors is one of my favorites. I may have to create a cologne out of it at some point. It's the smell of slowly cooking crispy skin combined with the smokiness of the wood-burning grill that gets your neighbors to come by to say hi. I use the term “automatic brine” or “automatic marinade” to signify that there's no waiting time before you cook. Just hit the chicken with brine and get started.

apple wood or cherry wood chips

(1 1/2-pound) bone-in, skin-on chicken halves

apple cider vinegar

honey

celery seeds

cayenne pepper

smoked paprika

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

neutral oil, such as avocado or canola

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

apple juice

garlic cloves, lightly smashed

Pantry Barbecue Sauce, for serving

Put the soaked wood chips into a smoke box or onto a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Fold the foil over the wood chips and seal the edges of the foil to make a packet. Use the tip of a knife or kitchen shears to poke several vents in the top. Lift up the grates on the right side of the grill and place the packet directly on the heat source of the grill, then return the grates.

Close the lid and turn the heat for the right side of the grill to medium-high until you start to see smoke coming out of the grill, about 20 minutes. Cook the chicken as directed in steps 4 and 5, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain an internal grill temperature between 225°F and 250°F and adding additional water to the steaming liquid if it is running low.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, transfer it to a baking sheet and turn the left side of the grill to medium-high. Once the left side of the grill is hot, brush the chicken a last time with the brine and flip it so that it is skin side down and grill until the skin is charred in spots, about 5 minutes.

Reprinted from Sundays with Sophie Copyright © 2022 Boy Meets Grill, Inc. Photographs copyright © 2022 Ed Anderson. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.

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