1. Clean the grill grates and rub with a little oil. Preheat to 400°F.

2. Once the grill reaches temperature, set up three cooking zones: Turn off zone one for indirect heat, set zone two on low, and maintain zone three on medium-high heat. If your grill does not have three zones, you need one area for indirect heat and the ability to adjust the heat source so that the grill temperature is maintained between 350⁰ and 400⁰ F for the entire cooking time.

3. Prepare the chicken by removing the wrapping and the giblet bag from the cavity. Pat the chicken dry and place on a cutting board breast side down. With cooking shears or a chef’s knife, cut along the right of the backbone from the tail to the neck. Do the same on the left side and remove the backbone. Turn the chicken over (breast side up), lay it open and press down to break the breastbone so it will lay flat.

4. Rub all sides with approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil. Liberally season all sides with salt and pepper.

5. Lay the chicken, breast side down, flat on the grill over indirect heat. Note: Cooking the chicken over indirect heat will prevent the skin from burning and reduce the drainage enough so that a drip pan is not required. Close the lid and let the chicken cook, without opening the lid, for 30 minutes.

6. Prepare your vegetables of choice for the grill by cutting to desired size and drizzling approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil over vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to grill.

7. After the chicken have cooked for 30 minutes, turn the chicken to cook the other side. Close the lid and cook for another 30 minutes.

8. If using BBQ sauce, use a basting brush to coat the chicken after the chicken has cooked for a total of 45-50 minutes. Once sauce is applied, allow the chicken to cook for 5-6 minutes with the grill lid closed, then gently turn the chicken over to coat the other side with the sauce. Close the lid and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

9. After one hour of cooking, check the chicken for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. The breast should be 165° F and the thighs and legs should be between 185° and 190° F. If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice the skin between the drumstick and the body; when the juices run clear the chicken is done (check both sides to ensure the chicken cooked evenly). If the chicken is not quite done, place back on the grill and check again in 10 minutes. When done, let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.  

10. Place vegetables directly on the grill grates or in a grill basket over the medium-high heat zone. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until done to your liking. Once done, transfer vegetables to a serving platter. In preparation for serving, drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired.

11. Carve the chicken and serve with grilled vegetables.