Chicken Spiedies from Grandma’s Original Recipe

Today, I’m eating a childhood favorite and a true taste of Upstate New York: Chicken Spiedies.

I grew up near Binghamton, New York, home of the chicken spiedie, and this dinner dish is perhaps the most famous thing to come out of the Southern Tier of New York.

Chicken spiedies were a staple of summer cookouts and weeknight meals growing up for me. The smell of chicken cooking over hot charcoal — be it Spiedies, Cornell Chicken or the Fireman’s BBQ chicken down the street — is a constant summer scent in Upstate New York.

The original spiedies were served on a single slice of Italian bread, but I prefer a toasted hoagie roll for mine.

Today, there are many restaurants that serve the blue collar sandwich. For my money, I like the Spiedie and Rib Pit, where my father and I would lunch any weekend we were in the area. The eatery also came to national relevance by serving spiedies to then-President Barack Obama.

If you want more history on the spiedie, check out a Taste of Upstate New York.

So, how do we make it?

Prep

This recipe comes from my grandmother, who was a lifelong Southern Tier resident. If you’d prefer to purchase your marinade, there are a few commercially available.

In a measuring cup, combine ⅓ cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1 teaspoon of oregano, the juice of 1 lemon, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and 2 mint leaves, finely chopped. Whisk together and set aside.

Next, we’ll cube two chicken breasts. You’ll want to cut pieces slightly larger than bite-sized so they don’t just immediately burn up on the hot grill.

Place the chicken in a gallon-sized resealable bag and pour the marinade over. Close the bag and give it a mix. Refrigerate overnight.

After 24 hours, the chicken looks like this. Skewer, packing the chicken tightly on the rod. It should look something like this.

Cook the Chicken Spiedies

Get your grill fired up to 450 degrees, or medium-high cooking.

Now, let’s make the compound butter for the hoagie rolls.

Mix together a stick of softened butter, a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, and a tablespoon of garlic powder. Use half the mixture to butter the hoagie rolls.

Once the grill is up to temperature, add the spiedies and cook for 8 total minutes, turning every two minutes until all sides are charred and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove to a cutting board while you toast the hoagie rolls.

Toast the rolls lightly on one side, just enough to get some grill marks but remain soft.

And that’s a summer cookout favorite from Upstate New York to wherever you live!

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