This famous Cornell chicken recipe made with an apple cider marinade was created by Dr. Robert C. Baker at New York’s Cornell University. According to history, Dr. Baker was simply trying to invent an easy and delicious way to grill smaller, younger chickens to help the local chicken farms sell more birds. The doc’s tasty recipe ended up being such a success that sales in the area soared, and the recipe became a statewide favorite.
Prep Time::10 mins
Cook Time::50 mins
Additional Time:: 4 hrs 5 mins
Total Time:: 5 hrs 5 mins
Servings::6
Ingredients
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2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (3 to 3½ pound) broiler-fryer chicken, cut in half
Directions
Purée cider vinegar, oil, egg, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper in a blender until smooth.
Pour marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken halves, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
Remove chicken halves from the bag and transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat chicken dry with more paper towels. Reserve marinade.
Place chicken, skin-side down, onto the preheated grill over direct heat. Grill for 2 minutes, then turn each piece, brush with marinade, and move to indirect heat. Continue to cook, turning often and brushing with marinade, until nicely browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Chef John