Barbequed Chicken with Citrussy Chargrilled Spring Onions

This grilled chicken carries serious island heat. The marinade blends orange juice, fiery scotch bonnet, garlic, cilantro, and a little soy and brown sugar into a punchy, sweet-hot-citrusy bath.

Marinate it overnight if you can. The acid in the orange juice tenderizes the meat while the flavors soak deep, so this is one to start the day before. Pull the chicken out 30 minutes ahead so it grills evenly instead of searing cold from the fridge.

Wait for the flames to die down to a steady heat before grilling, so the sugar in the marinade chars rather than burns. Cook until crisp and browned, then check with a skewer that the juices run clear.

The charred spring onions are the smart side. Grilled until soft and smoky, then dressed with a squeeze of lime, they bring sweet, blistered contrast to the spicy chicken. Pile both into a wrap with a dollop of avocado cream.

Chef Tips

• Marinate overnight for the deepest flavor and most tender meat.
• Bring the chicken to room temperature before grilling so it cooks through evenly.
• Grill over cooled-down, not raging, flames so the sugary marinade chars instead of scorching.
• Test doneness with a skewer; the juices should run clear, not pink.

Variations

• Dial the heat down with a milder chili in place of the scotch bonnet.
• Swap the orange juice for pineapple for a different tropical note.
• Serve with avocado cream and warm flatbreads to build wraps.