Chicken was my family’s favorite during the summer. We would have it baked, grilled, smothered, or mixed into a salad and stuffed in a tomato. My family seemed to have 100 ways to make chicken all summer long. One of my favorite ways chicken was prepared at home was my aunt’s grilled chicken thighs. The skin was extra crispy, the meat was juicy, and the seasoning was spicy and a little sweet. There was never a recipe to follow, she just grabbed whatever spices she had in the pantry and threw them together. This recipe follows those same rules with a little taste memory and is pretty close to her version. The chicken is garnished with cilantro and lime, which can be omitted if you want to chop the chicken for a summer salad. —Justin Burke 

Pantry Grilled Chicken 

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons onion powder
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 pounds chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in
Salt, to taste
Cilantro, coarsely chopped, to garnish
Lime wedges, to garnish

Directions 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, cayenne, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, thyme, allspice, onion powder, black pepper, nutmeg, and oil. Add chicken, and season generously with salt, turning several times to coat. Cover and chill overnight, or for at least two hours. 
2. Heat the grill to medium-low. Lightly brush the grates with oil. Arrange chicken thighs, skin side down, on the hottest part of the grill, turning halfway through until lightly charred, about 5-8 minutes. Move chicken to the cooler part of the grill and continue cooking, turning several times. Chicken is done when the thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 165 degrees, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Serve chicken on a platter topped with cilantro and lime wedges.

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