Lebanese BBQ Chicken with Homemade Garlic Sauce - The Ultimate

I love all kind of BBQ, we are used to having BBQ every Saturday since we were kids, my dad was a general contractor and he enjoyed a Mezza dinner every Saturday evening.

Part of the Mezza table will include two kinds of barbeque chicken, lamb kebab, kefta or even BBQ clams or fresh fish.

We kept the BBQ Tradition every Sunday.  We go to church, and when we are back we start preparing the food for lunch, from dips, salads, the meat then the coals.

I was thinking of a BBQ chicken dinner for some time, but the weather is still cold and snowy, it’s not convenient for an outside charcoal BBQ.

To prepare your chicken pieces, you clean it remove all the extra fat, rinse and dry, then prick holes in each piece to soak the marinate.   Using a large freezer bag transfer the chicken piece and choose one of these marinates to soak your chicken overnight.  

Marinate I

2 cups of yogurt preferably homemade

1 tsp of dried oregano

1 tsp of sea salt

2 bay leaves

Marinate II

Juice of two fresh lemons

5-6 large garlic cloves mashes

1 tsp of salt

Around ¼ cup of olive oil

When you are ready for barbeque discard the marinate and BBQ the chicken or even bake them in the oven at 375F until golden brown and the juice runs out clear.

A garlic dip is served with our BBQ chicken, it’s so good and garlicky, trust me you will be addicted to it. It’s easy to prepare, if you know how to prepare homemade mayo , it will be easier if you have an immersion blender , when the dip thickens  and all the oil is used add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and adjust the salt, and enjoy

For a salad I prepared Fattoush which is a very popular Lebanese Salad, using fresh thinly sliced vegetables and herbs, the dressing is a mix of sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flakes, some add also pomegranate molasses. When served it’s topped with toasted or fried pita bread chips.

Lebanese BBQ Chicken

2 kg of chicken pieces, cleaned and skinned if its deboned it will take less time to cook

Marinate

Garlic sauce

Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Big head of garlic, peeled sliced

1 cup of good quality vegetable or grape seeds oil

Salt

Juice of one lemon

You can double the amount and keep it in the fridge, its sooo good, you will be addicted to it

Lebanese Fattoush Salad - 4 servings

6 roman leaves washed and sliced small

Small Lebanese Cucumber or 1 English cucumber washed and thinly sliced

1 bunch of Italian parsley washed, drained and finely chopped

6 sprigs or half of bunch of fresh mint also washed, drained and finely chopped
half of bunch of  Purslane washed and picked 

1/2 bunch of green onion, washed and finely chopped

1/2 bunch of radish, washed and thinly sliced

4-5 heads of ripe tomatoes, washed and finely chopped

Two loaves of toasted or fried pita chips for the top of the fattoush  salad

(you can bake the chips or fried them in olive oil).

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil, juice of one lemon, 2 tsp sumac, sea salt, black pepper, chili flakes

Tablespoon pomegranate molasses or more depends on your taste

Toasted or fried pita bread slices.

 

You can serve the sauce over the chicken

or aside

How about some Fattoush


Preparing the Garlic Sauce


Marinating the Chicken

Roasted Potatoes