Grilling chicken is a time-consuming process; often, it takes upwards of two hours to cook a whole chicken. This process creates a crispy and juicy bird in just 30 minutes (minus brining time!).

You’ll Need:
1 whole chicken
4 tbsp sea salt
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp black pepper

Your first step is to butterfly the chicken. With a pair of kitchen shears, cut along one side of its spine, and then the other side of the spine, and then remove it. Flip the chicken breast-side-up, flatten it, and move the legs between the breasts and thighs, like so:

Next, dissolve the salt into a couple cups of water, and pour the water into a gallon-sized ziploc bag with the chicken in it. Add more water, enough to fill the rest of the bag. Store the chicken in the fridge for at least two hours, but up to four hours.

About ten minutes before you pull the chicken out, mix the butter, olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, and set it aside.

Next, take out the chicken, and pat it dry. Spoon the butter/oil mixture under the breasts’ skin, and massage it down to the thighs. Next, rub the pepper on the skin.

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Place the chicken on the grill breast-side down, and cover with a grill press (or an old cookie sheet) and weigh it down with a brick or two. Leave it like this for 15 minutes, then flip the chicken and replace the press/pan/brick combo. Check it after 15 minutes – the thickest part of the thigh should register 165 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the grill, and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.