Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa
Photo: Peden & Munk; Styling: Amy Wilson
Look no further for this season’s go-to grilled chicken dish featuring a simple marinade and an addictive Indian-style pickled salsa on top.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Make salsa: In a bowl, combine tomatoes, chiles, and green onions. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring vinegar to a boil. Add brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Put ginger, garlic, and dry spices in a bowl. In another medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until rippling. Add ginger mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in seasoned vinegar, and pour over tomato mixture.
Step 2
2
Let salsa cool, then cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. About 1 hour before serving, cut avocados into 3/4-in. chunks, add to salsa, and bring to room temperature.
Step 3
3
Make chicken: In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, and seasonings. Turn chicken in mixture to coat. Let stand at room temperature, turning occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 4
4
Heat a grill to high (450° to 550°). Lift chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and grill chicken, covered, turning often, until no longer pink in center, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 5
5
Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon salsa on top, saving half the liquid for another use (such as salad dressing).
Step 6
6
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Ingredients
Salsa
1 pound beefsteak tomatoes, quartered and seeded
2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 firm-ripe avocados
Chicken
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken breast halves with bone and skin (2 1/2 lbs. total)
Directions
Step 1
1
Make salsa: In a bowl, combine tomatoes, chiles, and green onions. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring vinegar to a boil. Add brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Put ginger, garlic, and dry spices in a bowl. In another medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until rippling. Add ginger mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in seasoned vinegar, and pour over tomato mixture.
Step 2
2
Let salsa cool, then cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. About 1 hour before serving, cut avocados into 3/4-in. chunks, add to salsa, and bring to room temperature.
Step 3
3
Make chicken: In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, and seasonings. Turn chicken in mixture to coat. Let stand at room temperature, turning occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 4
4
Heat a grill to high (450° to 550°). Lift chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and grill chicken, covered, turning often, until no longer pink in center, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 5
5
Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon salsa on top, saving half the liquid for another use (such as salad dressing).
Step 6
6
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
