Sunday, August 5, 2012

Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Garden Vegetable Salsa


It sometimes seems like there are only a finite number of ways to do grilled chicken for dinner, so it's always fun to find a new option.  This chicken is heathy, quick and easy, and takes advantage of the bounty of beautiful summer produce.  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are marinated in a mixture of buttermilk and a few spices, then thrown on the grill.  The buttermilk marinade pulls a double duty - it tenderizes the chicken, then keeps it from drying out while on the grill.  One of the biggest complaints about grilled chicken is that it can be tough, dry, and overcooked.  The buttermilk definitely helps avoid those issues.

While the chicken cooks, a quick salsa is mixed up of cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, corn, and a mixture of herbs.  Feel free to play around with the veggies here - just use what sounds good and what's in season.  I served this over cheddar-chive mashed potatoes, and it was both comforting and light.  Winner winner chicken dinner!



Buttermilk-Grilled Chicken with Garden Vegetable Salsa
a Pink Parsley Original

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed
  • 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp kosher salt 
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
In a gallon-sized ziploc bag or shallow baking dish, combine the chicken with the buttermilk, garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Oil the grates and cook the chicken about 7 minutes per side, turning once, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.   Remove from heat, cover loosely with foil, and allow to rest at room temperature about 10 minutes before serving.

Garden Vegetable Salsa
  • 1/2 cup finely diced cucumber
  • 1/2 cup finely diced bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup minced scallions
  • 3/4 cup corn, cut from the cob (about 1-2 ears)
  • 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh herbs (I used a mixture of basil, chives, oregano, and parsley)
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
As the chicken cooks, combine all the ingredients for the salsa in a medium bowl.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper before serving.


5 comments:

Joanne said...

Maybe I can convince my dad to make these for the family at a bbq next weekend! I have buttermilk I need to use up and though I don't eat chicken, I think everyone else would love this!

Katie said...

This looks and sounds amazing! I definitely think I need to make this sooner than later!

Eileen said...

This chicken sounds wonderful! It makes me want to break out the grill--and it's still Monday morning. :) I love all the fresh garden veg in that salsa too--so perfect for summer.

Christine @ Christine's Kitchen Chronicles said...

Thank you for this recipe. The buttermilk made the chicken so tender and juicy. It was amazing!

Check out my post here: http://christineskitchenchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/09/buttermilk-grilled-chicken-with-garden.html

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