su – Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa
Photo: Peden & Munk; Styling: Amy Wilson

 

Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
AuthorMary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger

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.

Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa

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