Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic-Oregano Vinaigrette and Grilled Fingerling Potatoes

A few weeks ago when Seattle was just starting it’s 30 day streak of no rain, my husband and I decided to grill instead of heating up the whole apartment.  I knew we were both in the mood for chicken on the grill.  My next step was to consult one my dear friends, the Food Network website.  The most logical chef/tv show to consult was Bobby Flay of Boy Loves Grill.  Just the title of this recipe had me sold.

My favorite part of the meal was the vinaigrette.  It was so fresh and smooth.  I did choose to not roast my garlic but I don’t think it made a big difference.  I made one other change with the potatoes.  My husband and I went on a wild goose chase looking for fingerling potatoes and 3 different stores before finally settling for small red potatoes.  Why can you never find what you’re looking for at the grocery store when you need it?!  My husband said that the chicken tasted great even the next day when he had it for dinner at work.  I think that we might need to invest in a larger grill soon.  We have  small one on our patio but it definitely doesn’t hold a lot of food!

Enjoy!

source: Food Network: Boy Meets Grill

Ingredients

For the roasted garlic-oregano vinaigrette:

• 8 cloves roasted garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

For the grilled chicken and potatoes:

• 12 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• 4 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breasts
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Fresh oregano sprigs, for garnish

Fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish

For the roasted garlic-oregano vinaigrette:

Combine garlic, vinegar, oregano, parsley, honey and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Stir in the red chile flakes.

For the grilled chicken and potatoes:

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until a paring knife inserted comes out with some resistance. Do not cook the potatoes all the way through because they will continue cooking on the grill. Drain well and when cool enough to handle, slice in half lengthwise.

Heat the grill to medium.

Brush the chicken and potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. A few minutes before the chicken has finished cooking, place the potatoes on the grill, cut-side down and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn over and continue grilling about a minute longer. Remove the chicken and potatoes to a platter and immediately drizzle with the roasted garlic-oregano vinaigrette. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with oregano sprigs and parsley sprigs.

Thai Coleslaw – Claim Jumper recipe

A few months back my husband and I went to dinner at Claim Jumpers with his parents while they were in town. I forget what I ordered that night but I do remember seeing that Thai Coleslaw was a choice for one of your side items instead of fries or potato chips. I wasn’t too sure if it would be spicy or not so I decided against it but I asked if I could sample it. The waiter said yes, but forgot to bring me a sample. Oh well! I still was curious if it was any good or not, so off to the internet I went! There are actually several sites that have copy cat recipes from restaurants.

I’m always on the look out for Coleslaw recipes and this one might just be my new favorite. We went to a barbecue at a friends house this past weekend and this was our contribution. The picture was taken the day after the barbecue but it was still good! I even left the leftovers with my mom because we were going out of town the next day and she said it tasted great still!

Enjoy!

Thai Coleslaw – Claim Jumper recipe

source: Groups Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 zucchini, julienned
2 jumbo carrots, julienned
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
3 tablespoons shaved coconut
3 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts
2 tablespoons toasted almonds
–THAI COLESLAW DRESSING–
8 ounces Thai sweet chili sauce (Lingham’s brand is good)
8 ounces orange juice
1/2 ounce honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

For salad: Combine cabbage, zucchini, carrots, onions, sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts and almonds in large bowl. Chill until ready to use.
For dressing: Place ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Slowly add sesame oil while whisking. Pour desired amount, about 1/4 cup, over chilled salad vegetables. Serve.

Tex-Mex Turkey Burgers

Thankfully it has been blazing hot around here in the Pacific Northwest. The only reason I say thankfully is because we were starting to doubt that the sun would ever come back. It was hot for a few days in May and then we were back to rain and cold! So of course when it is nice and hot, no one wants to stand over the hot stove. Fire up the barbecue!! I saw this recipe in my July/August edition of Everyday Food and decided that I could put the ground turkey in my freezer to some good use!

The recipe recommends pairing the burgers with a zucchini salad but my grocery store was out of zucchini and I didn’t want to go on a hunt. I’m sure the salad would be good with the burgers. We decided to cheat and use the frozen fries we had in the freezer.

These burgers were delicious and we will be eating the leftovers tonight.

Tex-Mex Turkey Burgers with Zucchini Salad

source: Everyday Food

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower, plus more for grates
• 3 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (93 percent lean)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, thinly sliced
• 4 thick slices country bread, halved
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
• Store-bought salsa, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium-high; lightly oil grates. In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, onion, lime juice, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Let zucchini salad marinate at room temperature, 15 minutes (or refrigerate, up to 1 day).
2. Form turkey into 4 patties (4 inches each). Using thumb, make an indentation in center to prevent burgers from rounding on top. Sprinkle with chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Cover and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of a burger reads 155 degrees, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
3. Top burgers with cheese. Cover and continue to grill until cheese has melted and internal temperature reaches 165, 2 to 4 minutes more. Meanwhile, grill bread until lightly charred. Place each burger on a piece of bread; top with avocado slices, salsa, if using, and remaining bread. Serve burgers with zucchini salad.