Grilling season is not over yet friends. If you have not tried grilling fall veggies, then you are missing out on some serious flavor. Grilling imparts a smoky and charred flavor that you just can’t get in the kitchen or even on a gas grill. Imagine grilling fall veggies like sweet potatoes, squash, and zucchini until they are charred and blistered on the outside and creamy on the inside. Paired those perfectly grilled veggies with some grilled bone-in chicken thighs and you have a meal that is easy to make and absolutely delicious.
The first thing you want to do is set up two zones with your Kingsford® Original Charcoal, one hot and one cool. You will cook the veggies over the hot zone until nice char marks form on both sides and then move to the cool zone to finish cooking. To grill the chicken thighs, you will start them in between the zones for 10 minutes to render out some fat and then move them closer to the hot zone until the skin is golden and crispy. Watch out for flare-ups and move the chicken around I needed. Then flip and cook the chicken for another 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
The key to this recipe is the grilled lemons! If you have never grilled lemons before you need to get on that asap. The flavors become sweet and smoky, and once you squeeze those lemons over the cooked food, OMG!
The grilling season is not over just because the calendar says it is not summer anymore. I really want to encourage you to try grilling veggies this fall. I think you will love the flavor that the grill imparts and it’s s darn easy. I really had fun setting up my grill in the yard with the leaves falling all around me and the smell of chicken and veggies filling up the backyard. It really makes me connect with the food and helps me enjoy being outside during this beautiful fall weather! For more tasty veggie recipes you can make on the grill, check out Kingsford.com
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH FALL VEGETABLES
This recipe for grilled chicken thighs with veggies is easy to make and perfect for the fall. The smokiness and fire from the grill impart so much flavor to the fall veggies and chicken thighs, and don’t forget about the grilled lemons!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in
- 2 medium zucchini cut in ¼-inch planks
- 2 medium sweet potatoes cut in ¼-inch circles
- 1 delicata squash halved, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch semi-circles
- 1 red onion cut in ¼ circles
- 1 lemon halved
- 1 bag Kingsford® Original Charcoal
- Kosher salt & fresh pepper
- Avocado oil
INSTRUCTIONS
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Prepare your charcoal grill by lighting some Kingsford® Original Charcoal in a chimney starter and allow to burn for 15 minutes until the coals are hot and glowing. Cut the veggies and season with a good shot of oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper on all sides. Season the chicken with a shot of oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper on both sides.
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Prepare the coals so there are two zones, hot and cool. Place the chicken thighs in between the two zones and place the veggies in the hot zone. Place the lemon cut side down and cook until the flesh is charred, then move to the cool side of the grill with the cut side up. Keep a watch on the chicken because the skin can flare up very easily, the goal is to slowly render out some fat and then increase the heat to make the skin golden and crispy. Once the veggies have nice char marks, flip and repeat on the second side and then move them to the cool part of the grill to cook through evenly. After about 10 minutes, move the chicken closer to the hot side of the grill and cook until the skin is nice and crispy, flip and cook another 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. You may have to move the chicken around if the heat gets too high and starts to flare up.
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Plate everything on one big platter and squeeze the grilled lemons over the top and garnish with a drizzle of really good extra virgin olive oil if you have it. Enjoy!