Find TV Listings
Listen To Our Radio Show
Follow Us
From America's Test Kitchen
Traditionally, “devil’s chicken” is pounded flat, seasoned with a healthy dose of peppery spice, and pinned beneath a brick over a bed of fiery coals. We wanted to develop a more reliable grilling technique and a well-rounded diavola flavor that was spicy but not overwhelming.
In most chicken alla diavola recipes, the crucial flavor and heat comes from either ground black pepper or red pepper flakes. Our tasters preferred a combination of the two, but we suspected that we could achieve even better flavor by brining. Sure enough, the brined chicken was moist, pleasantly fragrant, and well seasoned—especially when we added crushed garlic and bay leaves to the saltwater solution.
Next we turned toward a sauce for brushing on the chicken during cooking. We bloomed spices in warm oil for a well-rounded, intense, yet sophisticated flavor, then rubbed the sauce under the skin before cooking it.
We then turned to the grilling method. First we butterflied the chicken, keeping the breastbone intact (which protects the chicken on the grill and keeps the meat from drying out) and then pounded the bird flat with a mallet (to ensure even cooking).
Serves 3 to 4
To prevent flare-ups that can char the chicken, make sure that the gas grill's fat drainage system is in place. Lava rocks can intensify flare-ups, so be especially vigilant if making this recipe on a grill with these ceramic briquettes.
Start Your 14-Day Free Trial Membership
Get all 13 years of America’s Test Kitchen:
Dear Friend,
It is hard to believe, but 2013 marks the thirteenth anniversary of the America’s Test Kitchen television show. Since our very first season, we have been public television’s most watched cooking show and have shared hundreds of our best recipes, equipment reviews, ingredient taste tests, and cooking techniques with our viewers. And, AmericasTestKitchen.com is the only place you’ll find everything we’ve ever featured on the show — every recipe, equipment rating, and taste test since the very first episode of America’s Test Kitchen.
As you may know, America’s Test Kitchen is the home of “Recipes That Work,” and our mission is to be your trusted source for recipes that work every time you use them. Our test cooks spend their days obsessively testing recipes until they offer consistently great results. As we like to say here, “We make the mistakes so you don’t have to.” So, try out our website for a 14-Day, No-Hassle Trial Offer. Whether you are new to America’s Test Kitchen or have been an avid viewer for years, I think you’ll find AmericasTestKitchen.com to be an invaluable resource.
Thanks for your consideration,
Christopher Kimball
Founder and Publisher
Related Content
Recipe
Equipment
Equipment
Taste Test