Miso, A japanese fermented soybean paste, is the ultimate marinade. It infuses chicken with a subtle yet intense salty-sweetness. Both leafy and woody herbs add freshness to this summer cookout dish.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　2 whole (2 1/2-pound) chickens

　　2 lemons

　　2 tablespoons white (shiro) miso (see Pantry, page 253)

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

　　2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

　　1 fresh red Thai chile, finely chopped

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Lime wedges, for serving

　　

Step 1

Make boneless chicken steaks, removing the breast and thigh from each side in a single piece without any bones; the two parts will be connected by skin and a little meat (see C’est Bon).

　　

Step 2

Grate the zest from the lemons into a large, shallow dish. Squeeze 1/4 cup juice from the lemons and add to the dish. Add the miso, mint, rosemary, chile, garlic, and oil. Mix well. Add the chicken to the marinade and massage the marinade into the meat. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.

　　

Step 3

Heat your grill to medium. Use a lightly oiled kitchen towel to carefully grease the grill grate.

　　

Step 4

Rub the chicken in the marinade again. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper, then place on the grill, skin side down. Cook until the skin is charred, about 5 minutes, then flip. Cook until the meat between the breast and tender is just rosy, about 7 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Transfer to a serving platter and let rest for 6 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

　　

c’est bon

Step 6

Run a sharp knife along the breastbone and wishbone, then down along the side of the rib cage. Continue cutting along the carcass and then along the thighbone. Cut through the edge of the thigh, where it meets the back and the drumstick, to separate the chicken steak from the carcass. Repeat on the other side and with the other chicken. Reserve the chicken legs, wings, and carcasses for another use. (Alternatively, use 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts and thighs and adjust cooking times accordingly.)

　　Reprinted with permission from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes by Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Genevieve Ko. Copyright © 2011 by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the most influential chefs in the world, having single-handedly redefined haute French cuisine, lightening and refining it by adding select Asian accents. He is the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in fourteen cities around the world. His flagship restaurant, Jean Georges, at New York's Columbus Circle, is one of six restaurants in the United States to have been awarded three coveted Michelin stars; it received four stars from the New York Times. The winner of multiple James Beard Foundation awards, he lives in New York City and Waccabuc, New York, with his family.Genevieve Ko is a cookbook author and the senior food editor at Good Housekeeping magazine. She has written for Martha Stewart Living, Gourmet, and Fine Cooking and lives in New York City with her family.