Garlic and lime marinated chicken thighs grilled until charred, a Ghanaian party staple served with jollof rice or coleslaw.
Grilled chicken, sometimes called chicken kebab or simply 'grilled chicken' at Ghanaian parties and street food stands, is marinated for hours in a mix of garlic, ginger, lime and pepper before being cooked over hot charcoal until the skin blisters and blackens in places. It's a centerpiece dish at weddings, funerals and outdoor gatherings, almost always served alongside jollof rice, coleslaw or kelewele. The marinade relies on garlic and lime to tenderize and flavor the chicken from the inside, while a dry spice mix of paprika, thyme and pepper is often rubbed on just before grilling to build a crust. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are the traditional cut because the skin renders and crisps over the coals while the meat underneath stays juicy, something boneless breast can't replicate. What separates good grilled chicken from average is patience with the coals: the chicken needs to cook slowly enough over indirect heat to cook through without burning, then finished directly over the hottest part of the grill for the final char. Done well, it should have a genuinely smoky, charred exterior with meat that pulls easily from the bone.
Serves 4
Combine garlic, ginger, lime juice, oil, salt, paprika, thyme, pepper and scotch bonnet in a bowl. Rub thoroughly over the chicken thighs, working it under the skin where possible.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, so the garlic and lime tenderize the meat and the flavor penetrates fully.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill with a cooler indirect zone and a hot direct zone.
Place chicken skin-side up over indirect heat and cook, covered, for 25 minutes until nearly cooked through.
Resist moving the chicken to the hot side too early — cooking it through gently first prevents a burnt exterior with raw meat inside.
Move the chicken to the hot direct side and grill skin-side down for 5 to 8 minutes until the skin blisters and chars, then flip briefly to finish.
Rest 5 minutes before serving with jollof rice, coleslaw or grilled plantain.
Marinate overnight if possible — the lime juice needs real time to work into the meat, not just sit on the surface.
Cook over indirect heat first, then finish directly over the coals; grilling only on high heat burns the skin before the inside cooks.
Loosen the skin gently with your fingers before marinating so the garlic and ginger reach the meat directly.
Oven version: roast at 200°C (400°F) for 35 minutes, then broil 3 minutes to crisp the skin if you don't have a grill.
Spicier version: double the scotch bonnet or add a dash of cayenne to the dry rub.
Whole chicken: spatchcock a whole bird and use the same marinade, extending grill time accordingly.
Refrigerate grilled chicken up to 3 days; reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven until warmed through to help the skin stay crisp rather than microwaving, which softens it.
Grilled chicken marinated in garlic, ginger and lime is a staple of Ghanaian celebrations and street food stalls, often prepared in large batches for weddings, funerals and outdoor parties alongside jollof rice.
Yes — roast at 200°C (400°F) for about 35 minutes, then finish under the broiler for a few minutes to get some char on the skin.
The chicken likely wasn't patted dry before marinating or was moved to direct heat too soon — dry the skin well and finish over the hottest part of the grill only at the end.
You can, but bone-in thighs stay juicier over the long, slower cook; if using boneless, reduce the total grilling time by about a third.
Per serving (260g / 9.2 oz) · 4 servings total
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