What You’ll Need:

1 4-lb. whole chicken (grill or roast or just use chicken parts)

5 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

1-2 Tablespoons smoked paprika

1 ½ Tablespoons ground cumin

1 Tablespoon smoked or coarse sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

What to Do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees or grill on high.

In a small mixing bowl, add lime juice, white wine vinegar, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and whisk until well-blended.  Slowly drizzle in vegetable oil and whisk again until all ingredients are blended.  Then, set aside.

Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels.  Place in a bowl, breast side-up with the legs facing you. Gently use your fingers to loosen the skin from the flesh over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear the skin or push all the way through (you want the marinade to stay inside the bird).  Spoon about 2/3 of the marinade evenly underneath the skin, and spread the remaining 1/3 evenly over the skin. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, while oven is pre-heating.  Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a v-shape) with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken on top. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. (Keep an eye on it — if it’s browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.) Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes. Carve and serve!

Serves 4.