Versace Chicken

Because what's better than designer chicken?

With summer coming to an end, I struggled with deciding what to cook for dinner this week. It still feels a little early for chili and the likes, and considering I live in Florida, it will likely stay that way for at least another month. However, that won’t stop me from buying overpriced fall candles and sporting a sweatsuit around the apartment (which I keep at a crisp 68 degrees). We’ve done a lot of grilling the past few months (aka sitting outside with a cocktail while everything cooks without leaving a mess behind) and I wanted the perfect recipe to send off summer.

Now I’m sure you are all on the edge of your seats about the name of this recipe (twist my arm). This recipe is inspired by a recipe my mom used to make every summer from the Versailles, Ohio Poultry Days Festival Cookbook. When I was younger, I couldn’t say the word “Versailles”, so naturally, I settled on “Versace” (which should have been an early indicator of where my priorities stood).

This recipe is simple, which is part of the reason it’s so good. You can prep it up to a day in advance, put it in the fridge, and forget about it until you’ve poured yourself a cocktail and are ready to head out to the grill. I say “head out” because I live in an apartment and it is quite the process for us to get the food, drinks, and dog out to the grill area, but for some of you it’s as easy as opening your back door (don’t rub it in).

You can use any cut of chicken you’d like - we normally use a mix of drumsticks, wings, and thighs, but breasts are great as well (get your head out of the gutter). This also includes a quick recipe for a homemade barbecue sauce that I threw together the other night. I am not the biggest fan of barbecue sauce, so this one is a little less traditional. It’s fresh and tangy without being too sweet or smokey. The chicken is great with grilled summer veggies, corn on the cob, a simple pasta salad, or a chilled glass of rosé (as most things are). So get out there and grill your little hearts out, or at the very least sit out there with a cocktail while someone else does the grilling!

Versace Chicken

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups white vinegar

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/4 cup salt

• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

• Chicken cuts of your choice

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a pot large enough to hold all of the chicken and bring to a boil until the butter is melted and all of the ingredients are combined. Cool for at least an hour, add the chicken, and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to grill (up to a day in advance). Grill on high heat for about 5 minutes per side (until there’s a nice sear). If the chicken pulls when you try to flip it, let it stay on until the sear is developed. For extra flavor, baste the chicken with the marinade while it’s on the grill.

Tangy BBQ Sauce

• 1 cup crushed tomatoes

• 1/3 cup vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar)

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1 tsp. paprika

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp. onion powder

• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard

• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce thickens up a bit (about 10-15 minutes). Cool slightly and serve warm alongside the chicken. I also like to brush the sauce on top of the chicken just before I take it off the grill, which lets it caramelize under the high heat.

An essential part of the recipe: my grilling buddy (and not just because her hair ends up in all of our food)