Togolese Grilled Chicken

In much of West Africa, cooks love to season poultry, fish or beef with the flavors of onions, garlic and ginger. Here is a delicious grilled chicken recipe from Togo that does just that. Make sure to use red palm oil to give the recipe the authentic Togolese flavor.

Yield: 8-10 pieces 
Prep time: 25 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour to overnight  
Grill time: 30-35 minutes
Total time: 2-10 hours  

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. red palm oil* 
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated 
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and diced 
• ½ tsp. salt
• ground black pepper (and/or cayenne, for heat) 
• 8-10 pieces of chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in and skins on 
• 1 large white onion, sliced in thick rings 
• 2 tomatoes, sliced, for serving

Directions

1. Since red palm oil is semi-solid at room temperature, place it in a glass bowl and microwave 20-30 seconds until liquid. Mix in lemon juice, followed by ginger, garlic, salt and pepper(s).
2. Roll each piece of chicken in bowl of marinade, then place in a brining bag or large zipper bag. When all pieces are in the bag, add onions, then seal. Through sealed bag, use hands to further work the marinade into chicken. Let marinate at least 1 hour; overnight is best. 
3. Preheat grill to 400°F. Remove chicken pieces from bag and grill until cooked through, about 15-17 minutes per side. When done, the skins will be almost blackened and the juices will run clear. When meat is nearly done, add onion rings to grill to soften them, but don’t let them burn. 
4. Serve chicken with grilled onion rings and sliced fresh tomatoes.