Chicken Dance

A Chicken Catastrophe... This was a result of an experiment gone wrong. Note: DO NOT attempt to cook something in a Pyrex dish on a hot grill!

If you know me, I have probably told you at some point that my “Top Three Foods” are chicken, coconut and whipped cream (yes, whipped cream is obviously a legitimate food). Many people balk at my affection for chicken, personally I don’t get it. I mean, what other meat product is so versatile? Come on people, you’ve got chicken fingers, grilled chicken, barbequed chicken, chicken cordon bleu, fried chicken, chicken fajitas, roasted chicken: the possibilities are endless! That being said, I have come to realize that many home cooks have a hard time thinking of different ways to prepare this King of Meats. I also think that some people are just grossed out by salmonella, which they should just get over right now.

A few years ago I lost my job in Richmond, VA when the economy took a nosedive and had to move “home” to Houston, TX with my parents. I say “home” because I didn’t grow up there so I had no friends or any kind of social network, which is really awesome for a very social, very single 25 year-old. However, these circumstances led to the beginnings of my serious culinary explorations. One of the first things that I really perfected was grilled chicken. I learned that if you marinate chicken correctly, it really transforms into a flavorful and absolutely delicious addition to your dinner plate.

So here you go… This is how I prepare what my friends and family refer to as, “Delicious Chicken”. I could eat it everyday!

2-3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1- 1 ½ Tbls. Kosher or Sea Salt*

1- 1 ½ Tbls. Freshly Ground Pepper

1-2 Lemons and their juice

3-4 Large Garlic Cloves

*Regular iodized salt is much more potent than both Kosher and Sea Salt, so make sure you adjust the measurement accordingly if that’s all you have.

Place the chicken breasts in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Toss a healthy amount of salt and pepper into the mix and douse the chicken with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (until it doesn’t quite cover the chicken). Halve and squeeze 1-2 lemons, toss in both the lemons and their juice. Crush and mince 3-4 garlic cloves and add to the bag (I really love garlic so I tend to use 4, adjust for your own taste). Close the bag and squish everything around. After you do this the liquid in the bag should have a slightly milky look to it. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for about 30 minutes. You don’t really want to go too long over that because the lemon's acid will begin to affect the integrity of the meat.

In the mean time, preheat your grill to High. After the chicken is done marinating you are ready to grill! Turn the heat down to Medium and grill for about 8 minutes, then flip and grill the other side for 7 minutes. This 8/7 ratio is just the ticket on my grill, but you will need to adjust based on your own grill’s heat. Let the meat rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. The chicken should be super moist and totally yummy!

Cheers,

KB