"Grilled" Fried Chicken and Potatoes

After the grilled steaks, chicken breasts, pork chops, corn on the cob, and such, a lengthy power outage inspires other possibilities for the outdoor grill. Fried chicken, for instance. On day five without electricity—and with a hankering for the taste of simple fried chicken—I took the cast-iron skillet to the grill and ended up with an outdoor version of Easy, Less-Fat Fried Chicken—potatoes too. (The altered recipe for grilling is below.)

There’s really little difference in frying chicken on the grill and on the stovetop. The greatest distinction is that you don’t have as much control over the heat. You want a medium-hot fire to begin with, but the coals will not cool to medium-low after only 10 minutes, so the chicken will cook faster at a higher temperature on the grill. Be prepared to turn it more often and make sure you have enough room to move the skillet off-heat if the oil becomes too hot.

When you want to grill potatoes directly over a flame, it’s best to give them a head start in boiling water. You can then finish them on the grill to get a tender, creamy texture on the inside before they get too charred on the outside. To cook potatoes start-to-finish on the grill, cut them into small pieces and place them in a foil packet with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. A smoky, charred taste will still emerge, along with a creamy texture.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• olive oil for 1/4 inch in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 cup flour
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chicken leg quarters, cut into thighs and drumsticks, skin removed
• 4-5 small red potatoes, quartered, or each cut into 6 small wedges (depending on size)

Preparation

1. Light a grill for medium-high heat with coals on 2 sides—1 stack to grill the chicken over and the other to grill the potatoes over. When the coals are ready, set a cast-iron skillet over the coals on 1 side and add the oil. Let it heat until hot, 1-2 minutes.
2. While the oil heats, place the flour in a large, zip-top bag and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and shake well to coat.
3. Using tongs, remove the chicken pieces from the bag and shake off the excess flour. Place the chicken in the skillet and cover the grill. Cook 5 minutes.

Chicken Beginning to Fry

1. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a single layer on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to fold over them to form a packet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the packet on the grill over the 2nd stack of coals.
2. Turn the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cover the grill again. Cook another 5 minutes.

After One Turn

1. Continue cooking, turning as needed, until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown on both sides, 8-9 minutes total. Remove the chicken and let rest.
2. Turn the potato packet a few times throughout the grilling, until tender and beginning to char, a total of 13-14 minutes.

Potatoes Grilled in Foil

Fried Chicken