Achieving moist grilled chicken

Dear Lynne: Dry chicken on the grill -- awful.My marinated grilled whole chicken falls down all the time. It's dry and unevenly cooked, and it is a big deal to do and doesn't taste like it is worth the effort. Should I stick to thighs? Like you said once, you can't kill chicken thighs. -- Ruining the Bird in New JerseyDear Ruining: Thighs are one answer, letting the chicken rest 10 to 15 minutes after cooking is another, and switching marinade styles and flattening the bird are two other options. Put the three together and I think the whole chicken will work for you.MOIST GRILLED CHICKEN -- THE THREE TRICKSMarinade -- The Acid Rule: If your marinade is high in acid with very little oil and if the chicken is left in it longer than about an hour, it can actually toughen the bird. Figure that the quantity of oil should equal or surpass the combined quantity of other liquids or acidic ingredients. So if chunked tomatoes or pineapple or citrus fruit or wine is an ingredient, count that as an acid.How to Butterfly a Chicken -- Flattening or butterflying the chicken helps it cook evenly. To do this, turn the chicken breast side down on a cutting board and with a sharp knife cut down either side of the backbone to remove it (freeze it for stock). Now flip the chicken over, splaying it out on the board. With the heel of your hand, press down on the breastbone until you hear a crack. You've butterflied the bird. Fold the wingtips back under the part of the wing that joins the body and you're ready to marinate or roast.Resting Grilled Meats and Poultry -- Cut right into them right off the grill and you cheat yourself out of the best juiciness and flavor they have to give. Always let meat, poultry and fish rest for 10 to 15 minutes before touching them with a knife or fork. They finish cooking and juices settle, so that juiciness and flavor are prime.This grilled chicken offers the three basics as a starting point for your new success with grilled chicken. It's a takeoff on a Martha Stewart recipe that our friend, Susan Erlich, did for us recently. She served the chicken at room temperature with a potato salad of green herbs and green beans that we all sprinkled with Aleppo chile at the table. We all love chilies -- the more arcane the better. So that's how I toyed with the original formula. One trick is to spread the marinade under the skin of the chicken as well as pouring it over it.BUTTERFLIED GRILLED CHICKEN WITH LUSH ALEPPO CHILIEThis is a dish for lovers of distinctive chilies. The heat is only moderate, but Aleppo chilie from Turkey or Syria is distinctively fruity and tart. (On a heat scale of 1 to 10, Aleppo is usually a 3 to 4.) Orange, garlic and coriander tease out all of Aleppo's nuances.If you like your supper even tamer, or can't get Aleppo, use a rich-tasting sweet paprika (and go for a 1/4 cup). Or come closer to Aleppo in taste with the velvety medium-hot and easier-to-find Ancho chilie.Cook's Note: You can mail order good-quality Aleppo and other specialty chilies from two sources I can personally vouch for -- www.savoryspiceshop.com and www.penzeys.com. Store ground chilies in the refrigerator (holds for two months) or freezer (holds for six months).This is a splendid recipe for cold chicken to eat on its own or in chicken salad.1/3 cup sherry or wine vinegar1/2 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil5 large garlic cloves2 to 3 tablespoons (or more to taste) crushed dried Aleppo chilie (Available in many markets and in specialty spice shops. See mail-order sources above.)Grated zest of 1/2 orange1 teaspoon ground cumin1 tablespoon coarse saltOne 3- to 4-pound whole chicken (organic if possible), butterflied (See technique above.)Puree all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a food processor or blender. Put the chicken in a heavy plastic bag or close-fitting shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pour in the marinade to thoroughly coat the bird and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.Preheat a gas grill to medium. For a charcoal grill, use wood charcoal, piling the lighted coals to one side of the grill. They are at proper heat when you can hold your hand about 5 inches from the grill for only 5 seconds.Place the chicken (drained but not patted dry) on the grill over the coals skin side down. Close the cover, and grill 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes. If chicken is browning too quickly, move it away from the coals, cover and continue cooking.With tongs, turn the chicken over. Cover the grill and cook for another 20 minutes, or until an instant-reading thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees. Remove the chicken to a plate and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm, or chill for later.(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's national food show, and is co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions." Ask questions and find Lynne, recipes and station listings at splendidtable.org, or 800-537-5252.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)