Name: Next level BBQ chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 red chillies tops removed and reserved for the smoke mix (see below); 8 spring onions roughly chopped; thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped; 8 garlic cloves roughly chopped; 2 tbsp chopped thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp paprika; 3 tbsp dark brown soft sugar; 4 tbsp soy sauce; 4 limes 2 juiced, plus 2 halved to serve; 1.5kg mix of chicken drumsticks and wings, lightly scored; 200ml ketchup; handful of thyme sprigs; handful of bay leaves; 1 tsp ground allspice; reserved chilli tops (see above)

Next level BBQ chicken in a serving dish

2 red chillies
tops removed and reserved for the smoke mix (see below)
8 spring onions
roughly chopped
thumb-sized piece of ginger
peeled and roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves
roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
3 tbsp dark brown soft sugar
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 limes
2 juiced, plus 2 halved to serve
1.5kg mix of chicken
drumsticks and wings, lightly scored
200ml ketchup

For the smoke mix (optional)

handful of thyme sprigs
handful of bay leaves
1 tsp ground allspice
reserved chilli tops
(see above)

Method

step 1
To prepare the meat, tip all the ingredients, except for the chicken and ketchup, into a blender or mini processor. Add a pinch of salt and blitz to a rough paste. Tip two-thirds of the paste into a large bowl with the chicken, and massage the marinade into the meat. Cover and leave for at least 1 hr at room temperature, or up to 48 hrs in the fridge.
step 2
Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce. Tip the remaining paste into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 mins until it thickens and becomes darker, then add the ketchup and cook for 5 mins until sticky. Tip into a container and set aside.
step 3
Light the barbecue, ensuring the coals are piled up at one end and leaving only a couple of coals on the other side. Lay the chicken on the emptier side. If you’re making the smoke mix, carefully scatter all of the ingredients directly onto the piled-up coals. Cover the barbecue (with the vents open) and cook the chicken for 20 mins. Remove the lid and turn the chicken, then cover again and cook for a further 20 mins.
step 4
Remove the lid and move the chicken across the grill so it’s above the piled-up coals, then baste with some of the barbecue sauce, keeping enough aside, in a separate container, to serve later. Cook for 10 mins, adding a few more coals if you need to and turning often, until nicely charred and cooked through – a digital thermometer inserted through the thickest part of the meat should read at least 65C.
step 5
Put the lime halves on the grill, over the coals, cut-side down for 3-4 mins until charred. Serve the chicken with the lime for squeezing over and reserved barbecue sauce for dipping.