Spicy Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

Spicy Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

Ingredients:
1 quart buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
big handful chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
2 jalapenoes, seeded, deveined and chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or Franks Red Hot Sauce, optional
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
pinch fresh cracked pepper
3-4 pounds chicken pieces. A mix of boneless, skinless breast cutlets and skin-on drums and thighs or whatever you like.
Additional chopped green onions and cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, cilantro, green onion, jalapeno, hot sauce, salt, sugar, cumin, mustard, and pepper. If you have an extra large ziploc, you can brine the chicken in a bag to save fridge space. Otherwise you a bowl and be sure to cover it with plastic wrap when chilling.
2. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. Trim off excess fat on skin pieces. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill overnight or at least for 8 hours. Remove from fridge one hour before grilling to take the chill off.
3. Lift chicken from brine; and gently shake off excess herbs and garlic. Blot gently with paper towels (they don't have to be really dry but just not dripping), season lightly with more salt and pepper, and set aside while you prepare the grill do medium heat.
4. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through (dark meat may take longer.) Serve hot with extra tabasco on the side and/or a dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce, Optional (Pesto also works well!):
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
handful minced cilantro
handful chopped green onions
1/2-1 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce, or Tabasco to taste
pinch salt and pepper

Mix together, cover, and keep chilled until ready to serve.