Serendipity Chicken & Grilled Vegetable Medley

Serendipity is more than just a delightfully cheesy chick-flick starring John Cusack and a famous ice cream parlor in NYC, it’s what happened to my chicken dinner last week.

Boring but healthy BBQ grilled chicken is what I set out to make, what resulted was nothing short of fantastical!

Being the absent minded multitasker I am, I didn’t actually give myself enough time to prep my dinner properly. I cut up a whole chicken (you can do this as it saves you a bundle, but it’s much easier to just buy bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces) doused it in seasoning and put it on the fired-up grill. I then forgot about it for about 10 min. and came back to a smoking fire! Attempting to salvage the dinner, I flipped the chicken and let it cook a few more min. on a low heat. As I bit into the meat below the blackend skin I anticipated a dried out bird. Quelle Surprise when the meat was tender and juicy and tastier than any grilled chicken I’d ever eaten.

I replicated this “disaster” a few days later (at my husband’s request) and it was just as delicious. How great – a meal you don’t have to worry about burning! You really can’t ask for more than that!

Serendipity Chicken

INGREDIENTS

8 Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (can use all breasts, etc.)

Johnny’s Seasoning (Buy it here: http://www.johnnysfinefoods.com/Seasoning-Salt--85oz_p_39.html. You can use a substitute seasoning, if you must. Johnny’s Fine Foods does not sponsor my site. They should, but my endorsements are 100% love).

Gas Grill

GET COOKIN’

Liberally sprinkle chicken with Johnny’s Seasoning Salt.

Heat grill with burners all the way up.

Place chicken skin side down (bone-side up).

“Burn” for 10 min.  Seriously, if your chicken skin isn’t darker than George Hamilton (jet black), it’s not done.

Once skin is blackened, flip bone-side down. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5-7 more min. Cut into largest piece to see if chicken is cooked. Once chicken is done/nearly done, place it on the heating rack up off of the heat.

Place veggies (see recipe below) on tinfoil on grill and cook until tender.

Remove Chicken and veggies and serve.

Serves

4-6

Vegetable Medley

INGREDIENTS

2 zucchinis (¼”- ½” slices)

1 yellow squash (¼”- ½” slices)

1 Lb. Mushrooms (halved)

1 Belle Pepper (red, yellow or orange), sliced and diced into ½” pieces

1 Onion, cut into wedges   

2 Tbs. minced garlic (from the jar)

Johnny’s Seasoning Salt (I’m telling you, it makes EVERYTHING better)

Olive Oil

GET COOKIN’

Mix all veggies in a large bowl.

Lightly drizzle olive oil over veggies.

Sprinkle with Johnny’s Seasoning and Garlic. Don’t be stingy – Johnny’s Seasoning really brings out the flavor of the legumes.

Mix well.

Spread veggies out on double folded piece of tinfoil. Fold edges of foil up to keep oil and juice from escaping.

Place on grill and cook until tender.

SERVES

6