Quick! Hep! Anyone There? Need Grill Idea...

[Lauri D]

If there's anybody out there...

I am in need of a good recipe for chicken (boneless skinless breasts) on the grill. I've been cooking a lot more lately and can't think of anything good for the bbq tonight that is A) Relatively simple and B) Relatively healthy.

I have rarely used chicken on the grill so I don't have any swift ideas. Anyone got a favorite?

BTW, I grilled up some bleu cheese burgers the other night that were divine, using the recipe found here. Taaaasty, I tell you what!

[LadyShea]

I buy those premade marinades in the salad dressing aisle. They have a Hawaiin, a Carribbean Jerk, oh just all kinds of flavors. I like the Hawaiin then I lightly grill some pineapple rings to serve with it and jasmine rice as a side.

Of course, I am lazy

[freemonkey]

I was going to suggest a satay, but I like LadyShea's suggestion.

[Lauri D]

Mmm.... satay...

I think I will go with what you suggested, LS - I haven't used one of the premade marinades for a while but as I recall it worked quite nicely. Quick and easy!

[Clutch Munny]

This might be too late but...

For 4-5 breasts of chicken:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tblspn red wine vinegar
1-1/2 tblspn old-fashioned mustard, or 1 tspn mustard powder
dusting of ground thyme
squirt of lemon juice, if you like
salt and pepper to taste

Whip it up and spoon it over chicken on the grill.

If you like these ingredients, you'll like the chicken.

[RevDahlia]

I'm getting on this a little late, but for future reference the most delicious treatment for grilled chicken that I've found is a yogurt marinade. The acid in yogurt does something sciencey to meat, rendering it extremely tender and nearly impossible to overcook. This is especially useful for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, as they have little lubricating fat and really want to dry out on you.

Generic Yogurt Marinade for Chicken

Plain yogurt -- lowfat is fine but avoid the nonfat Frankenstein
Lots of smashed garlic
Lemon or lime juice
S&P
A little curry powder, ground coriander, cumin, or or or.

Allow chicken to sit in marinade for at least an hour before grilling.

[pescifish]

Originally Posted by RevDahlia

Plain yogurt -- lowfat is fine but avoid the nonfat Frankenstein

Uh oh. Since I don't taste much difference between lowfat and nonfat, I always get nonfat. Are there monsters in there or is this just a taste preference on your part?

[RevDahlia]

Originally Posted by pescifish

Uh oh. Since I don't taste much difference between lowfat and nonfat, I always get nonfat. Are there monsters in there or is this just a taste preference on your part?

Nonfat breaks when direct heat is applied and makes for a sad, watery marinade. I am cynical and assume that this is because the Man chemically tampers with nonfat yogurt, but I would be delighted to discover that this is just paranoia on my part.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Lauri D

some bleu cheese burgers

Tell me this was a typo. You can have fromage bleu or you can have blue cheese, but you can't mix bits. Or is this one of those ways American English absorbs more French than British English - like pronouncing fillet fill-ay? I don't get whether Americans hate the French or not.

This has been a public service nit-picking thread-derailing announcement.

[Clutch Munny]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Tell me this was a typo. You can have fromage bleu or you can have blue cheese, but you can't mix bits. Or is this one of those ways American English absorbs more French than British English - like pronouncing fillet fill-ay? I don't get whether Americans hate the French or not.

This has been a public service nit-picking thread-derailing announcement.

One of my favourite Western Canadian small restaurant menu items:

"Roast beef with au jus sauce"

[livius drusus]

Au jus sauce... There is no god.

In other news, a quicker solution for your chicken grilling needs is the rub. As long as you have spices handy, you can get a boneless chicken breast in delicious grilling order in no time flat. Most combinations of spices will work, but anything in the rosemary, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, fennel, paprika, thyme, oregano grouping pretty much rocks.

All you have to do is mix it and rub it into the chicken; set it aside for a second and then toss it on the grill. No marinating time needed, and all you use in terms of utensils is a bowl (mortal and pestle, if you've got it) and your fingers. It's a huge bang for your buck.

[Lauri D]

Hey, thanks for the additional marinade/rub ideas, people! I wrote them down for future reference.

Tonight, I am making buffalo chicken wraps with bleu cheese coleslaw. Ha ha, just kidding, BLUE cheese! (Not sure why I typed it "bleu" before, other than force of habit or something).

[RevDahlia]

Wow, blue cheese coleslaw? That sounds awesome. Recipe?

[Lauri D]

Originally Posted by RevDahlia

Wow, blue cheese coleslaw? That sounds awesome. Recipe?

It is indeed supertastee

Recipe:

1 1/2 lbs. green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/4 C. sweet onion, finely chopped
1/3 C. cider vinegar
3 T. sugar
1/3 C. good quality mayonnaise
1/3 C. sour cream or yogurt
1/3 C. crumbled bleu cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine cabbage, carrots and onion. Heat cider vinegar and sugar to boil. Toss with vegetables and let sit 15 minutes. Drain the vegetables well and combine with remaining ingredients. Prepare at least 2 hours ahead or overnight so flavors can mingle.

***

This is the way I prepare it when it's to be eaten as a salad itself. Sometimes, if I'm making just the wraps (they have the blue cheese 'slaw in them) and am short on time, I just get a precut bag of the cole slaw stuff and add the appropriate amount of a good, chunky blue cheese dressing. Works fine for inside the wrap, but the above recipe is the bomb for a side dish with any kind of barbeque or picnic.

[seebs]

Originally Posted by Clutch Munny

One of my favourite Western Canadian small restaurant menu items:

"Roast beef with au jus sauce"

...

AAUuuuguguhuhh

I need to go take a shower now. That hurt.

[viscousmemories]

Originally Posted by RevDahlia

Wow, blue cheese coleslaw? That sounds awesome. Recipe?

Hehe. You're funny.

Seriously though, I went with Lauri to some chicken wing place and they had this amazing variety (mostly pretty good) of flavored chicken wings, and that demonspawn moldslaw. I was smart enough not to order it, but then I went and took a bite of hers by accident! Ewwww... I'm still scrubbing my tongue.

[RevDahlia]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

Hehe. You're funny.

Seriously though, I went with Lauri to some chicken wing place and they had this amazing variety (mostly pretty good) of flavored chicken wings, and that demonspawn moldslaw. I was smart enough not to order it, but then I went and took a bite of hers by accident! Ewwww... I'm still scrubbing my tongue.

Philistine. I think it sounds just lovely, and I'm planning to add some apple chunks to mine and maybe a few toasted sesame seeds. Yum yum.

[pescifish]

See? There's that awesome apple and blue cheese combo!