Tea-Chile Smoked Grilled Chicken with Korean Spices

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb chicken thighs and legs

for the marinade:
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 shallot, grated
1 inch ginger, grated
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Korean malt syrup
1 tablespoon coarse-ground Korean red pepper (kochukaru)
1 tablespoon sugar


for the tea-chile packet:
3 tablespoons loose white tea
8 dried red chiles
1/2 teaspoon water

Directions:
Place the chicken in a nonreactive container. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade directions. Pour over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Place the chiles and tea in the middle of a medium-sized rectangle of foil. Sprinkle with the water. Fold the sides up to form a packet. Poke holes in the packet with a fork. Place on the hot coals. Arrange the chicken on a greased grill. Cook covered and vented until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, turning halfway through the cooking time.

My thoughts:

This is some flavorful chicken. It isn't terribly spicy but the spices permeate the chicken pieces making every bite as tasty as the last. The tea-chile packet adds a subtle smoky-spice flavor to the meat that really sets it apart from other grilled chickens. The best part? Despite the intense flavor, it really isn't any more difficult to make than any other method of grilling chicken.