Summer days can be hot leaving us with no interest in cooking a big meal. Simple, light and easy meals like our Sweet Red Chili Glazed Chicken with Salad are how we get through summer!
Leftover sweet red chili sauce, grilled local corn and fresh in season asparagus become the canvas for this salad. We whipped up a cilantro dressing which complemented the salad nicely. If you do not like cilantro, use basil instead.
This meal may seem labour intensive but it’s really not. First thing get your lettuce cleaned and corn/asparagus ready for the grill and BBQ them. Grill chicken next. While it’s cooling a bit get your dressing ready. Finally finish off the chicken and assemble. The first time I made this dish I admittedly kept two of the chicken thighs out of the glaze as I thought the kids would like it. Boy was I wrong. They devoured all the glazed chicken and LOVED it!
Here’s how we did it.
Ingredients
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp Chinese five spice powder
- 2 tbsp sweet red chili sauce
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce
- olive oil
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- 1 head romaine lettuce torn into bigger pieces
- 4 large radishes sliced thin
- 2 tbsp. parsley rough chop
- 2 cobs of corn husked
- 10 spears of asparagus bottoms removed
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- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 jalapeno seeds included
- 2 limes
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tsp ginger fresh
- 2 green onions
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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- sesame oil
- parchment or wax paper
- black sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- On a sheet of parchment or wax paper mix together your chicken, Chinese five spice powder and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Put a second piece on top and whack (I use a rolling pin) to flatten chicken on thicker areas. Keep it around 1/2-3/4 inches thick. Set aside.
- On a place add your corn. Pour a little olive over top and pinch of salt and pepper. Roll corn on plate to cover corn with oil. Put right on grill and cook over medium high heat for approximately 10 minutes turning every 2 minutes or until a nice char starts to form. Once the corn cooled cut corn kernels off and discard cob. Set aside.
- Take your asparagus and roll on the plate the corn was on to scoop up leftover oil, salt and pepper. Add a little more if needed. Place on grill crosswise (so they don't fall through grate) and grill for 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of asparagus. Brown spots are good but don't let them char. Set aside.
- On grill over medium high heat cook chicken thighs for about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- To make the dressing add cilantro, tamari, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, fish sauce, 1/4 of jalapeno to start, juice of two limes, garlic cloves, ginger, green onions, sesame oil, 2 tbsp olive oil into a blender or cup. Whiz until smooth. Taste. If not spicy add the rest of the jalapeno pepper and a small pinch of salt and pepper.
- In a frypan over medium high heat mix together sweet red chili sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp fish sauce. Add chicken to warm up and turn to cover with glaze. Remove to cutting board to slice thin or serve whole.
- Add lettuce to serving platter, sprinkle on the corn, asparagus, radishes and parsley. Add your chopped chicken (or serve it on the side). We topped it with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds. Serve dressing on the side or pour over chicken.
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