Honey-Lime Chicken

There are two things I love in the summer: grilling and citrus. The grilling is self-explanatory, but there's just something about the clean, fresh taste of citrus that cools me down. This lime-based chicken is great on it's own (paired with Cilantro-Lime Rice) or would make a fresh salad really pop! 

1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

Marinade:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lime juice (2 limes), plus zest

2 T. honey

½ tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

In a large, resealable plastic bag combine all marinade ingredients; seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the chicken to the bag; shake to coat and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve with Cilantro-Lime Rice.

*Recipe from The Enchanted Cook

Grilled Spicy Honey Chicken

I am always looking for new and different grilling recipes, especially since we got a monster new grill this spring! This chicken revisits my favorite flavor combo: sweet and savory.

1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

2 tsp. olive oil

Rub:

2 tsp garlic

2 tsp chili powder

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp smoked coriander

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp cayenne

Glaze:

½ cup honey

1 T cider vinegar

Combine all spices for rub and mix together well.

Trim chicken and pat dry; rub oil to coat chicken. Using your hands, coat chicken with spice rub on all sides. Grill chicken over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through.

While chicken is grilling, warm honey in the microwave for 15-20 seconds; add the vinegar and stir well to combine. Reserve 2 T. of the glaze for serving. Use the remaining glaze to brush onto chicken in the final minutes of grilling. Serve with reserved glaze.

*Inspired by The Girl Who Ate Everything

Citrus-Herb Marinade

The great thing about a good marinade is its versatility. Try this light recipe to add a fresh zing to chicken or fish. Great for grilling!

½ cup orange juice concentrate, thawed 

½ cup water

2 T. Dijon mustard

1 packet ranch dressing mix

4-6 chicken breasts or fish fillets

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Add marinade and fish or chicken to a large resealable bag; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Greek Chicken Sandwiches

I have had a love affair with tzatziki sauce from an early age. Sure, give me a good gyro, but I'm just as happy lapping it up with crackers, or sometimes even a spoon. This simple gyro-variation incorporates the fresh, light flavors of Greece (tzatziki included!) into a family- and budget-friendly meal. (Hint: Try it with Citrus-Glazed Fruit Salad!) 

½ cup balsamic vinaigrette

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6-8 pita pockets or sandwich flats 

Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cucumber, finely chopped

1 T. parsley

1 tsp. dill

1 garlic clove, finely minced

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 T. lime juice

Toppings:

1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 wedge red onion, thinly sliced

Feta cheese, crumbled as desired

Place chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag; add vinaigrette and turn to coat; marinate 4 hours-overnight.

In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to combine; stir before serving.

Preheat and spray grill; discard marinade and grill chicken until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Allow chicken to rest about 5 minutes, then cut into thin strips. Build each sandwich in a pita or sandwich flat, layering sauce, chicken, cucumbers, onion, and feta as desired. 

Honey-Mustard Pork Chops

Spice up an ordinary pork chop with the fresh flavors of this simple marinade and glaze.

4 boneless pork loin chops, butterflied

½ cup honey

4 T. Dijon mustard

2 T. orange juice

2 tsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp. onion powder 

Combine honey, mustard, juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. Pour half of the glaze into a large, resealable bag. Add the pork chops and marinate 1-4 hours.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Remove pork chops from marinade and grill, basting with the other half of the glaze every few minutes.  Cook until no longer pink in the center, about 14-16 minutes.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

There's nothing better to welcome summer's warm embrace than a cook-out. Mix up the standard grill menu with this slightly sweet and spicy dish.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup pineapple juice

¼ cup orange juice

2 T. lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Rub:

2 T. freeze-dried chives

1 T. onion powder

1 T. garlic powder

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground ginger

Combine pineapple, orange, and lime juices in a large resealable bag; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bag and marinate 1 hour – over night.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Combine rub ingredients in a small resealable bag; shake to combine. Cover both sides of chicken with rub. Grill, turning once, until cooked through – about 8 minutes per side. 

Chicken Tikka Masala

Recently, I had my first experience with Indian food. Unfortunately, I was not at a restaurant that specialized in Indian cuisine, but nonetheless, I saw fantastic potential in the Chicken Tikka Masala I tried. So of course, I came home and immediately started recipe-searching. I found many recipes and decided to take a little help from several of them. The result was delicious! I'm not sure how authentic the flavor is, but this is definitely going on the "make again" list. 

1 cup plain yogurt

1 T. lemon juice

1 ½ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. ground ginger

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

4 metal or wooden skewers

1 T. butter

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and finally minced

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. salt

1 – 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1 T. lemon juice

In a medium bowl, stir together the first 7 ingredients until well blended. Stir in the cubed chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill and lightly coat grates with cooking spray. Thread chicken onto skewers and grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in spices, and then add tomato sauce and cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes, until sauce thickens. Add grilled chicken cubes and simmer for 10 minutes more.  Stir in lemon juice. Serve with sauce, over steamed basmati rice. 

Grilled Korean Flank Steak

 I'm always on the hunt for a tangy marinade that will bring life to an otherwise plain piece of meat. This Asian-inspired recipe lends spice and plenty of flavor. Thinly sliced, it pairs wonderfully with a side of fried rice, or atop an Asian salad. 

¼ c. Kikkoman teriyaki sauce

2 T. honey

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. olive oil

1-2 lbs. flank steak

In a small bowl, whisk together first six ingredients. Pour into large Ziploc bag; add flank steak and spread marinade into the meat. Refrigerate over night.

Preheat grill or grill pan. Grill steak until cooked to desired doneness (about 5-7 minutes per side). Let rest 15 minutes. Slice thinly on a bias to serve. 

**Inspired by Rachael Ray's Korean Barbecue Flank Steak