If you happen to find yourself in central New York between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there’s a high probability you’ll encounter Cornell-style chicken. This regional specialty is served at every fair, fundraiser, and cookout between the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley. You’ll know it by the distinct scent of grilled chicken that wafts through the air, perfuming a good quarter mile in all directions.
This summer staple comes by way of Robert Baker, PhD, a Cornell professor who was tasked with creating a recipe to incentivize people to eat more chicken. At the time, the chickens on the market were primarily used as egg producers, and so the meat was tough and lean. With this recipe, originally published in 1950 in a bulletin titled “Barbecued Chicken and Other Meats,” the chicken became succulent. The apple cider vinegar–based marinade does a couple of things here. First, it tenderizes the meat. The egg-enriched mixture also adheres to the chicken during the grilling and basting process, ensuring flavor on the outside as well as the inside.
Here, I’ve made a few tweaks to Dr. Baker’s original recipe to impart even more flavor into every piece of chicken. Cornell chicken is really meant to feed a crowd, so this recipe can be easily doubled, or even tripled, for summer grilling season. While this method really begs to be made on the grill, thanks to the nature of turning and basting, I’ve included instructions to make an oven-cooked version. Just note that the smokiness and char from the grill is part of the allure.
What you’ll need
Poultry Seasoning
$14 At Amazon
Grill Tongs
$21 At Amazon
Kosher Salt
$12 $10 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
45–60 minutes (plus marinating)
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk 1 large egg, 1½ cups apple cider vinegar, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning, and 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper in a large bowl to combine. Transfer ½ cup marinade to an airtight container; cover and chill. Place 5 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts and/or legs (thigh and drumstick) in remaining marinade to submerge. Cover and chill separately at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
Step 2
If grilling, prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange, skin side down, around outer edges of grate; discard used marinade. Cover (if your grill allows) and grill chicken, basting with remaining chilled marinade every 10 minutes or so and turning chicken often to promote even browning, until charred, deeply aromatic, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 160° for breasts and 165° for legs, 25–30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Step 3
If baking, place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet; discard used marinade. Bake chicken, basting with remaining chilled marinade every 15 minutes or so and turning chicken often to promote even browning, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 160˚ for breasts and 165° for legs, 30–35 minutes.
Step 4
Heat broiler, leaving chicken in oven. Broil until skin is deeply browned, 6–10 minutes. (Watch carefully; the chicken can go from brown to burnt very quickly.) Transfer chicken to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe notes
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