Grill-Smoked Butterflied Chicken

This method yields a subtle smoked flavor to the chicken.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
Wood chips, for smoking.

Directions:

Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Butterfly whole chicken by removing backbone with poultry shears or a very sharp knife, breaking breastbone, and pressing with the palm of your hand to flatten. (Alternatively, ask your butcher to butterfly it for you.)

Mix lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Carefully loosen skin with your fingers, and then rub seasoning onto breast and leg meat under the skin.

Turn all grill burners to high and heat for 10 minutes.

While grill is heating, make a foil packet with heavy duty aluminum foil, fill with the soaked wood chips and fold to seal. With a knife, poke slits all over packet.

Place over burner and allow to heat until chips begin to smoke, about 10-15 minutes.

Place chicken, skin side down, on grill and cook until skin turns golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Turn chicken over.

Turn off the one burner under the chicken, and continue to cook over indirect heat, until chicken reaches 160°, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes before carving.