El Pollo Loco Inspired Grilled Chicken

Steps

1. Pat the chicken dry. Flip it bread side down and cut along the side of the backbone to remove it.
2. On the other side, identify the sternum (cartilage between both breasts) and cut through it.
3. Flip the chicken over and press down on both breasts in the middle until you hear a pop; this will lay the bird flat. Remove any excess fat or skin found under the leg area.
4. Transfer the prepared chicken into a larger Ziploc bag and set aside.
5. In a blender, squeeze 1/4 cup of lime juice (about two to three limes) and pour it in.
6. Measure out 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (from about two to three oranges) and add it to the blender.
7. Add five large garlic cloves, one teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, and blend until completely broken down.
8. In a separate bowl, combine the following marinade ingredients: 2 teaspoons of ground ancho chile, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of Mexican dry oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric.
9. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the bowl with the blended mix from step 3.
10. Stir in 2 teaspoons of kosher salt until combined. Whisk everything together to create the marinade.
11. Pour the marinade into the Ziploc bag containing the chicken, ensuring it is spread evenly over all surfaces.
12. Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal it. Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours (or overnight).
13. About 15-20 minutes before cooking, remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator to bring it up to room temperature.
14. Set up a grill with two zones: one side with hot charcoal (high heat source) and the other without charcoal (indirect heat zone). Preheat the grill to about 400°F.
15. Place the chicken on the indirect heat zone, breast side up. Brush some of the marinade over the chicken and sprinkle salt over the bird.
16. Oil-spray pieces of aluminum foil and cover the wings to prevent sticking and fast browning.
17. Place a piece of aluminum foil under the side of the chicken closest to the hot zone to prevent it from browning too quickly.
18. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Monitor the cooking progress visually, checking for browning.
19. Halfway through cooking, remove the foil from the wings and brush the top with oil.
20. Cover the grill and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F.
21. If necessary, flip the chicken to the hot zone (breast side down), then back to the indirect heat zone on its original position to finish cooking.
22. Once fully cooked, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting.