Five Spice Grilled Chicken

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READY IN 7+ hrs

Grilled Five Spice Chicken

Read Reviews (15)

"Chinese 5-spice powder has a proven track record of awesomeness when combined with smoky, caramelized meats. This grilled five spice chicken recipe is a great example." — Chef John

Directions

Score the skin side of each piece of chicken 2 to 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep.
Whisk together the the juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, Chinese five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons hot chile paste, ginger, and soy sauce in a bowl. Pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat evenly with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Remove chicken halves from the bag and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels. Reserve marinade mixture in a small bowl.
Whisk together the 1/3 cup rice vinegar, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon hot chile paste in a small bowl. Set aside.
Grill chicken, skin-side down, on the preheated grill for 2 minutes. Turn each piece, brush with reserved marinade mixture, and move to indirect heat.
Grill, brushing with glaze and turning ever 10-15 minutes, until well-browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
Drizzle vinegar lime juice mixture over the chicken and serve.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 47 mins
READY IN 7 hrs 2 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Jun 04, 2012

I made this yesterday and it turned out great! I omitted the fish sauce from both the marinade and finishing sauce. While I love fish and seafood, the combination with chicken just did not sound appealing. Also, I did not care for the finishing sauce. The chicken was tasty w/o it. I also threw some mesquite chips on top of the briquets for a little smoke. Make sure you use indirect heat otherwise you risk burning it.

—epicurious_11

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Jun 18, 2012

Note* The written recipe has omitted the crushed ginger that John mentions in his video. It DOES make a difference, so add a 1/2 tsp of ginger for the perfect taste he intended. I didn't have the fish sauce on hand, so I used oyster sauce instead and it was so good that when I made it again, I was afraid to change the ingredient. Thanks Chef John, it's wonderful.

—Smilin' Rosie

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18 Ratings

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Jun 09, 2012

I made the marinade portion of this recipe and used on B/S chix b's, delicious! I added a slug of sherry to stretch the marinade a bit, and marinated overnight. Very delicious and different. Thanks, Chef J!

—Saveur

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Jun 20, 2012

My family loved this chicken. I had to adapt some ingredients based on what I had on hand. I used 10 boneless skinless thighs (they were on the small side). I used oyster sauce instead of fish sauce and red curry paste instead of hot chile paste. Marinated 6 hours then grilled. So tender and juicy with a indian like flavor. Served this with jasmine rice and steamed spinach seasoned with vinegar. I didn't make the basting sauce or add the ginger that was not listed in the ingredients but used in the video. Next time I will try using the ginger, but keeping the other ingredients the same. It's a keeper.

—Melodylane

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Jun 25, 2012

I forgot to get lime so just added a little more rice vinegar. Was a little sceptical with the marinade at the beginning but it turned out great. We fried it in the pan first and then put it in the oven for about 30-40 mins. Then we used the juice to make gravy by adding some sugar and cornstarch. It was fabulous!

—lml

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Jun 12, 2012

delicious! used bone in chicken breasts. came out nice and juicy and wonderfully spiced on the grill. thanks for the post Chef John!

—njmom

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Aug 08, 2012

Oh, Chef John! I made this, just hoping to find something a little "different" for a change instead of the typical BBQ. I even started making my own sauce because I got so bored of the jarred ones! This, however, was wonderful! All 6 of my kids, and my hubby gobbled it right away! I had to put 2 pieces aside for my 1 son to have for when he got home from work, for fear there would be none! :) Thank you for sharing this great recipe- I shall use it often! BTW, I didn't change a thing!

—Grobiegirl1

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Jul 23, 2012

This was awesome! I used chicken breast and I can only imagine what it would taste like with a whole chicken.

—Paia

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Nutrition

Calories
484 kcal
24%

Carbohydrates
4.4 g
1%

Cholesterol
166 mg
55%

Fat
27.3 g
42%

Fiber
0.4 g
1%

Protein
53 g
106%

Sodium
458 mg
18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Grilled Five Spice Chicken

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 484
Calories from Fat: 246

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 27.3g 42 %
** Saturated Fat 7.6g 38 %
** Cholesterol 166mg 55 %
** Sodium 458mg 18 %
** Potassium 385mg 11 %
Total Carbohydrates 4.4g 1 %
** Dietary Fiber 0.4g 1 %
Protein 53g 106 %
** Sugars 0.8g
** Vitamin A 6 %
** Vitamin C 6 %
** Calcium 6 %
** Iron 33 %
** Thiamin 11 %
** Niacin 168 %
** Vitamin B6 32 %
** Magnesium 17 %
** Folate 7 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.