Micronesian BBQ Chicken
Micronesia is a sub-region of about 2000 islands in Oceania; off the east coast of the Philippines; east of Polynesia. Some of these countries include Guam, Nauru, The Marshall Islands, and Palau. This type of barbecue is eaten all over these islands. The marinade is great on chicken, pork, and even seafood. To attain optimal flavor, I recommend marinating the protein overnight and grilling using hardwood charcoal. A gas grill will work too, but you’ll get a different flavor that is less traditional.
Equipment
- food processor
- gallon sized storage bag
- charcoal grill or gas
- chimney starter
- charcoal
- basting brush
- probe meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken legs
Marinade
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 red chili
Instructions
- Add all of the marinade ingredients to a food processor and purée.
- Marinate the chicken legs in a gallon sized storage bag for 1 day.
- Take the chicken out of the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small pot and reduce for 10 minutes over medium heat. This will be used for basting the chicken.
- Place the chicken legs skin side up over the grey charcoals. Sear for 8-10 minutes.
- Flip over and sear the skin side for 8-10 minutes.
- Pull the chicken legs slightly away from the charcoal. Flip and baste the chicken with the marinade every 5 minutes for the next 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.
