It’s easy to turn your dried chilis into chili powder. Blend your favorites to create custom heat and flavor profiles. 

1. Preheat your grill or oven to 250°F (121°C).
2. Toast your peppers for 10 min, then allow them to cool. Remove seeds and veins (unless you want extra heat), then blend the roasted chunks in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Preferably, use a spice grinder as the blades are sharp and won’t bruise your spices. Also, if you use your coffee grinder for coffee, don’t use it for spices and the other way around. There will be flavor transfer, and no one (generally) wants spicy coffee.

Now that you have your custom chili powder blend, let’s make a tasty roasted chicken.

1. In a bowl, combine the ancho powder, cumin, garlic, onion, and salt.
2. Remove the spine of your chicken and flip it over. Place your hands over the breastbone and press down until the bird lays flat.
3. Season the chicken thoroughly on all sides with your ancho seasoning, and under the skin if possible too. Allow the chicken to rest with the seasoning for 40 minutes up to 24 hours to allow the skin to dry out and the salt to penetrate the meat.
4. Remove one section of your cooking grids in preparation for adding the smoker pipe or box. Alternatively, you can use your charcoal grill and add your favorite smoke wood chunks directly into the charcoal. Preheat your grill to 400°F (200°C), preparing to use direct grilling. Once ready to cook, if using a gas grill, protect yourself with heat-resistant BBQ gloves and place a loaded smoker pipe or box over a lit burner. Turn that burner down as needed.
5. Place the chicken, skin side down, and cook until grill marks have formed. Flip the chicken over and reduce the heat to between 350°F and 375°F (177°C and 191°C) to finish cooking. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of both the breast and thigh. You may also need to consider turning off the burners directly below the chicken.
6. Once the chicken has been flipped, combine the juice from the canned pineapple, the tequila, honey, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and reduce a little. If you want it thicker, add 2 tsp. of the glaze to 2 tsp. of cornstarch, mixing until no lumps remain. Add the cornstarch mixture to the glaze. As soon as the glaze coats the back of a spoon, staying put when a finger is swiped through, remove it from the heat. Add in the butter.
7. Place the tinned pineapple rings onto the grill to cook over direct heat, then begin brushing the chicken with the glaze as soon as it is ready. Do this every 5 to 15 minutes until the chicken registers 165°F (74°C) in the breast and up to 180°F (82°C) in the thigh.
   PRO TIP: Thanks to the connective tissue in the leg and thighs, dark meat on chicken can be cooked to a higher temperature than breasts while still remaining juicy and tender.
8. Remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Try this with a salad, or serve the chicken on tortillas with the grilled pineapple, and some sliced avocado.
9. Pair your Ancho and Tequila Glazed Spatchcock Chicken with an off-dry German Riesling with sweet and acidic flavors to balance the spicy and smoky chicken. For a beer pairing, Corona would be ideal. If you want something a little different, try a Paloma. Combine the salt, lime, and tequila, add ice, then top up with grapefruit soda. For a refreshing spin, blend the tequila, lime, and salt with ice, pour into a glass, and top up with grapefruit. Either way, a lime wedge or wheel for garnish is super important.