Grilled Smoky Chicken and Corn with Cucumber Salad
Grilled Smoky Chicken and Corn with Cucumber Salad
Lately our house has been overrun by fresh corn and zucchini. This time last year, I would have been screaming in frustration over the amount of vegetables lying around and only knowing how to cook only a handful of recipes that required them. After we threw out the last of the zucchini, which had of course spoiled, I vowed to expand my recipe collection and began experimenting with different spices and flavors.
Our days of just slapping butter onto an ear of corn are long gone and if everything goes to plan, your's will too.
For this recipe, you will need the following:
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast cutlets, preferably without the skin
- 4 ears of fresh corn, husked
- 1 1/2 tablespoon grated lime zest
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, olive oil and lime juice. Then with the corn and the chicken in a rimmed baking dish, generously brush the mixture over them.
With your grill ready to go outside, add the corn. Cook it covered for about 10-minutes until it starts to brown in spots, turning frequently. Add the chicken to the grill, cover, and cook until the chicken is springy to the touch and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
If you're a genius like I am and you buy thick chicken breasts, you're going to cook them a bit longer.
Cucumber Salad
Wanting a bit more on my plate for dinner, I decided to whip up a quick and easy Cucumber salad, which is one of my favorite things to prepare in the summer when I'm pressed for time. For this you will need:
- 2 English cucumbers (or whatever cucumbers you have in your fridge)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons rie vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to shave the cucumbers into ribbons. Then in a large serving bowl, toss the cucumbers, onion, dill, mint, vinegar and oil together. Season with salt and pepper.
If you're a fan of smoky flavors, you are going to love the flavors of the chicken and the corn. The cucumber salad adds something refreshing to your plate, which I especially love on a hot evening. We paired this dinner with an Albariño wine.