Ghana-Style Grilled Chicken with Sankofa Chicken Seasoning
Grilled chicken is the plate everyone reaches for first at a Ghanaian party, right next to the jollof. A blended marinade of onion, Sankofa Chicken Seasoning and Ginger & Garlic seasons it to the bone, on the grill or in the oven.
Serves 4 to 6 · Prep 15 minutes, plus 2 hours marinating · Cook about 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 lb (about 1.4 kg) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 sachet (5 g) Sankofa Chicken Seasoning
- 1 sachet (5 g) Sankofa Ginger & Garlic Seasoning, or a thumb of fresh ginger and 4 cloves garlic
- Sankofa Pepper Seasoning or 1 scotch bonnet, to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons salt
Method
- Blend the onion, oil, lemon juice, seasonings (or fresh ginger, garlic and scotch bonnet) and salt into a smooth marinade. Set 3 tablespoons aside in the fridge for basting.
- Pat the chicken dry and cut 2 or 3 slashes into each piece. Rub the rest of the marinade all over and into the cuts.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Heat the grill to medium (about 375°F to 400°F), with one side hotter than the other.
- Grill the chicken on the cooler side with the lid closed for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes and brushing with the saved marinade.
- Move it to the hot side for the last 3 to 5 minutes to char the skin. It's done when the thickest piece reads 165°F next to the bone.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
No grill? Bake on a rack over a lined tray at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes, turning once, then broil for 3 to 4 minutes to char.
Serve with jollof rice, waakye, or banku with shito, plus sliced onions and tomatoes.
Tips
- Thighs and drumsticks stay juicier than breast. If you use breast, start checking it after 20 minutes.
- Baste only with the marinade you set aside, never with the marinade the raw chicken sat in.
- Sankofa seasonings contain no salt, so the salt in the marinade is up to you.
Shop this recipe
- Sankofa Chicken Seasoning
- Sankofa Ginger & Garlic Seasoning
- Sankofa Pepper Seasoning
- Weekend Grill Box: chicken and beef seasonings, ginger and garlic, and pepper together