Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 1 hour to marinate. Look no further for this season's go-to grilled chicken dish from chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of Border Grill in Santa Monica and Las Vegas and Ciudad in Los Angeles. They marinate chicken very simply, then spoon an addictive Indian-style pickled salsa on top.

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• Pickled tomato and avocado salsa
• 1  pound  medium beefsteak-type tomatoes, quartered, seeds squeezed out
• 2  serrano chiles, thinly sliced
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2  cup  distilled white vinegar
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 4  teaspoons  minced fresh ginger
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 2  teaspoons  mustard seeds
• 2  teaspoons  freshly cracked black pepper
• 2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  cayenne
• 1/2  teaspoon  turmeric
• 1/2  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 2  firm-ripe avocados, cut into 3/4-in. chunks
• Chicken
• 1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4  cup  fresh lime juice
• 1/2  cup  chopped cilantro
• 1  tablespoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  chicken breast halves with bone and skin (2 1/2 lbs. total)

Preparation

1. Make salsa: In a bowl, combine tomatoes, chiles, and green onions. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring vinegar to a boil. Add sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Put ginger, garlic, and dry spices in a bowl. In another medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until rippling. Add ginger mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in seasoned vinegar, and pour over tomato mixture.

2. Let salsa cool, then cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. About 1 hour before serving, stir avocados into salsa and bring to room temperature.

3. Make chicken: In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Turn chicken in mixture to coat. Let stand at room temperature, turning occasionally, for 30 to 45 minutes.

4. Prepare a grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). Lift chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and grill chicken (cover gas grill), turning often to prevent scorching, until no longer pink in center, 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon salsa on top, saving half of liquid for another use (such as salad dressing).

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

746 (64% from fat)

Protein:

50g

Fat:

53g (sat 9.2)

Carbohydrate:

23g

Fiber:

4.9g

Sodium:

591mg

Cholesterol:

129mg

Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Sunset, APRIL 2009