Grilled Chicken
Submitted by hkrouse1
Grilled chicken breasts marinated in cilantro and serrano chile, served with a buttery cucumber-white wine beurre blanc for a cool-meets-heat backyard dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
2 hrsThis grilled chicken breast is a sneaky little number that looks plain on paper and then surprises everyone at the table. A punchy marinade of cilantro, chopped serrano chile, and oil soaks into the meat for 90 minutes, loading it with green, grassy heat before it hits the grill.
The real trick is the cucumber butter sauce that gets spooned over the top. Diced cucumber softens in butter until just tender, then folds into a reduced wine and shallot beurre blanc at the end. The cucumber gives the sauce a clean, cooling snap that plays directly against the heat from the chile marinade.
Finish with fresh lime juice and more cilantro right before serving so both stay bright.
Chef Tips
- Pull the chicken off the grill at 160°F (71°C) internal. It carries to 165°F (74°C) while resting and stays juicy.
- Seed the cucumber before dicing. The seeds give off too much water and thin the sauce.
- Whisk the cold butter into the reduction off direct heat, piece by piece, or the emulsion will break.
- Double the marinade and use half as a basting liquid during grilling. Huge flavor lift.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the oil, chiles, chopped cilantro, and salt and marinate the chicken or fish in this mixture for 1½ hours.
Grill the chicken or fish until barely done.
While the chicken cooks, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and cook the cucumber until softened, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the wine and shallots together in a small saucepan until reduced to 1 tablespoon.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining butter to the saucepan bit by bit, whisking constantly.
Add the softened cucumber and season to taste with lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Serve over the chicken or fish.
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