Grilled Spatchcock Chicken- in Calamansi & Soy Marinade

Now that its finally heating up here in where I live, I can finally put my grill to good use. I am still very traditional and enjoy cooking with charcoal, only because the flavor you get from charcoal is incredible. I will admit this is my first time cooking an entire bird over the grill. Usually I would pre-cook my meat in the oven or parboil, but I wanted to put my culinary skills to the test. Plus with all the food network and youtube videos I've watched over the years, I've learned a thing or two on how to bbq. I'm using direct and indirect heat, I've always wanted to try this method. I marinated my whole chicken overnight so it really infuses with the calamansi and just a hint of soy flavor. Not sure about you, but I don't enjoy having a very strong soy sauce flavor, if it over powers everything then you've added to much. But soy sauce added in just the perfect amount does wonders to your dish and adds the right amount of salt and umami flavor. The combination of calamansi and soy are the perfect marriage for grililng. You get the citrus/lemon flavor from the calamansi and just that hint of soy to balance the flavors.

Now I do not recommend a substitute for the calamansi. July is my tribute to calamansi, so I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you go out there and look for it at your local asian grocery stores. Sometimes they are sold as kumkwats, but if you know your citrus, kumkwats are larger and sometimes orange in color. So do not be deceived. 

I hope you give this recipe a try

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (0.9 kg small size)

4-5 calamansi's

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

olive oil 

1. Using heavy duty kitchen scissors, cut along the breast bone of the whole chicken. If you don't have kitchen scissors, use a large knife place the chicken breast side down and cut along breast bone. Once chicken is cut open lay it skin side up and press down to flatten chicken. And that is how you make spatchcock chicken.
2. Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add 1tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, 3 tbsp soy sauce, and squeeze 4-5 calamansi's. Again disclaimer- I am not recommending any substitute for calamansi, it is a must for this recipe and for all the recipes I post this month.
3. Cover and marinade overnight.
4. Set up grill to have direct and indirect heat. If you are using charcoal like I am, allow coals to burn until there are no more flames. 
5. Place chicken skin side down on direct heat for 15 mins to brown the skin. Baste with remaining marinade.
6. Carefully flip and brown inside for 15 mins. Try not to break the skin. Baste with remaining marinade.
7. Move the whole chicken to indirect heat, cover grill and allow to cook for 45min - 1 hr until the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Somewhere in between I placed the chicken skin side down on direct heat for 10 mins, flipped it and 10 mins again on direct heat. Baste in between flipping. Then moved it back to indirect heat to finish cooking. Try not to char the skin too much, this is where bbq skills are tested. 
8. Once internal temperature is reached, remove from grill and enjoy. 
9. You can freshly squeeze more calamansi on the meat of the chicken for some added calamansi flavor.