Memorial Day marked the official beginning of summer. Pools around the U.S. are now open. And it’s time to dust off the grill and prepare some great chicken recipes. From tasty thighs to chicken burgers to a grilled chicken breast for a delightfully light salad, we have a grilled chicken recipe for everyone’s taste. So start the flames!
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› Rum Island Thighs
› Mesquite Chicken Burgers
› Cajun Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad
› Grilling Tips
Submitted by:
Chad Webb
4 to 6 Servings
6 Pilgrim's Pride chicken thighs
Marinade:
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, strained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, strained
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1 clove
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons rum
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil spread
1 lime, cut into wedges, to garnish (optional)
Fresh cilantro, to garnish (optional)
Directions
Place chicken thighs in non-metallic dish or resealable plastic bag. Set aside.
To make marinade, place juices, soy sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, zest, garlic and cayenne in sauce pan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Heat and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in rum and oil. Set aside to cool. When cool, stir in cilantro and pour mixture over thighs. Cover or seal bag and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. Turn chicken occasionally while marinating.
Preheat grill and lightly coat grill rack with oil or cooking spray.
Remove chicken from marinade and place marinade in sauce pan. Heat marinade to boiling, reduce heat and add butter. Simmer 5 minutes. Divide sauce, reserving half for basting chicken when grilling and half for serving.
Place chicken on prepared grill 4 to 6 inches from heat source. Grill over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning and basting often. Continue grilling an additional 8 to 10 minutes without basting, until glazed and chicken reaches 170° F on meat thermometer. Juices should run clear when chicken is pierced with fork. Discard any remaining basting sauce.
To serve, place chicken on platter, garnish with lime wedges and cilantro, if desired, and serve with reserved sauce.
Submitted by:
Mary Louise Lever
Rome, GA
4 Servings
Burgers:
1 pound Pilgrim's Pride boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ground*
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (spicy or hot)
1 1/4 teaspoons mesquite seasoning salt, or to taste
4 Kaiser or onion rolls, split
Dijon mustard
* You may have a butcher grind thighs for you or use a food processor with metal blade attachment. Burgers may be cooked in oven broiler or on stove top, if preferred. Chicken breasts may be substituted; however, thighs are more flavorful and juicy for use in burger mixture.
Apricot Pepper Chutney:
3/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno peppers, or to taste
Directions:
Combine chicken, sausage and mesquite salt. Shape into four patties; chill at least 20 minutes.
To make chutney, combine preserves, vinegar, mustard, ginger and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat to simmering and cook about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add thyme, red pepper, onion and jalapeno pepper. Set aside.
Grill chicken burgers over medium coals until juices run clear, turning as needed. Lightly toast rolls on grill and spread with mustard.
Serve chicken burgers with chutney.
Mary Kempton
Atlanta, GA
4 to 6 Servings
4 Pilgrim’s Pride boneless skinless split chicken breasts
Olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, divided
3 ears fresh yellow corn, husked
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup whole pecans
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 clove garlic
3/4 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces baby arugula (or other salad greens)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Place grill racks 4 to 6 inches from heat source and lightly coat with oil or cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium heat.
Place chicken breasts in medium dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Toss to coat; set aside. Brush corn with olive oil to lightly coat. Place chicken and corn on preheated grill. Cook chicken 5 to 7 minutes per side or until done and temperature is 165° F on meat thermometer. Remove to plate and keep warm. Grill corn, turning frequently, until brown spots begin to form, about 10 minutes. Remove to plate, cool, then cut corn from cob. Set aside.
Place butter in small skillet and heat until melted. Add pecans. Cook and stir until toasted, about 4 minutes. Remove to small bowl. In separate bowl, combine sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Add pecans, toss to coat; set aside to cool.
Combine vinegars and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl; set aside. Place cumin seeds in small skillet over high heat. Stir and cook cumin about one minute until toasted and lightly browned. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar mixture; cool slightly. Place garlic in food processor or blender and mince. Stop processor. Add vinegar mixture and Dijon, pulsing to combine. With food processor running, gradually add 3/4 cup olive oil through feed tube, blending dressing until smooth. Set aside.
Place arugula in large salad bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, and corn. Slice chicken diagonally into thin strips and add to salad. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Divide among salad plates or bowls and garnish with sugared pecans.
Here are some little-known grilling tips to make your meals turn out perfect:
• Make sure your grill is well cleaned. One trick to clean your grill is to scrub it with half an onion. It flavors the grill while cleaning off any old gunk.
• To create even heat circulation, leave the lid on while cooking.
• Don’t poke the food. Use a spatula or tongs, but avoid piercing the chicken to prevent the natural juices from escaping.
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook very quickly on the grill. To prevent dryness, it is best to marinate them or brush with oil before cooking.
• Chicken absorbs flavors quickly and does not require lengthy marinating (a half hour is sufficient). Always marinate chicken in a refrigerator.
• Turn chicken often during cooking, about every 5 minutes, to ensure even cooking.
• Internal temperatures should reach 165° F per USDA guidelines.
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As always, Pilgrim's Pride is proud to offer the finest, freshest chicken products on the market. We work tirelessly to ensure our products meet the toughest quality standards — those of your family. If you are ever unhappy with any of our products, please let us know by calling our customer relations line at 800-683-1968.
Thanks for your continued support, and have fun grilling!
Pilgrim’s Pride • 4845 US Hwy 271 North • Pittsburg, TX 75686
1-800-683-1968 • www.pilgrimspride.com • info@pilgrimspride.com