Yucatanstyle Chicken

These grilled chicken thighs get rubbed with a Yucatan marinade and left to soak up all that flavor for hours or overnight before hitting the grill. The long marinade is what makes this recipe sing. Those bold, citrusy, slightly smoky notes have time to work deep into the meat.

The double-skewer technique is the move here. Threading each thigh onto two skewers keeps the meat flat against the grill grates, which means even charring on both sides instead of the meat spinning around and cooking unevenly. Over wood or charcoal embers, the chicken picks up a real smoke flavor you just can’t get from gas.

Julienned jicama on the side adds a cool, crunchy contrast, and the papaya tomatillo salsa brings a tropical sweetness cut with tomatillo tartness.

Chef Tips

• Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes before grilling so they don’t burn through over the embers.
• Let the fire burn down to glowing embers, not open flames. Direct flame chars the outside before the inside cooks.
• Four minutes per side is a guideline. Check for clear juices and firm texture rather than relying on time alone.

Variations

• Use boneless chicken breast if you prefer white meat, but thighs stay juicier over high heat.
• Swap the papaya tomatillo salsa for a mango habanero version for more heat.
• Serve the grilled chicken sliced over a bed of rice with the salsa spooned on top for a plated dinner.