Devour the Competition is an initiative created by the Flik Hospitality staff to help the players get ready for the game through delicious food. The chefs prepare a meal during the week of the game that is inspired by the Eagles' opponent. As the Eagles get ready to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the chefs made Grilled Chicken Spiedies.
About 200 miles east of Buffalo is the town of Binghamton, New York, where the spiedie was created. You thought we would be doing wings this week? Well, that's already a Friday staple at the NovaCare Complex. Spiedie comes from the Italian word "spiedo," which means "kitchen cooking spit." Essentially, it's chunks of meat marinated and grilled on a skewer then served on bread or a roll. Italian immigrants began serving the sandwich in the 1940s.
It is believed that Camillo Iacovelli created the spiedie, but his brother, Augie, made them popular when he started serving them at his restaurant. Of course, there's a rival. Peter Sharak claims to have invented the sandwich and started to serve them at his restaurant, Sharkey's Bar and Grill. Sharkey's declares in televisions ads that he's the inventor, although it is widely accepted that the Iacovellis were the first to the grill.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken Spiedies
2 to 3 pounds chicken thighs, cut into small cubes (1-inch squares)
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Marinade
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
4 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon oregano leaves
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
PREPARATION
Whisk together all the ingredients in a large bowl to make the marinade.
Add chicken to the marinade and cover tightly. Refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.
Remove chicken from the marinade and thread onto metal skewers or wooden ones that you have soaked in water for 30 minutes or so. The chunks can be placed quite close together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Allow chicken skewers to cook over a hot grill, undisturbed, for approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Turn them over and repeat on the other side. Continue turning the skewers every couple of minutes until chicken is deeply crisp at its edges, and cooked entirely through approximately another 5 to 7 minutes.
Allow the spiedies to rest on a cutting board for a few minutes, then remove the meat from the skewers by putting on sliced hero rolls. Grip roll tightly to slide skewer out of meat.
Serve with hot sauce or flavored mayo and coleslaw.
