Here’s a hearty pasta salad you can call a complete meal. Tasty grilled chicken and a delicate dill-flavored ranch dressing will have them coming back for seconds.

This recipe came about in the most roundabout way I could have ever imagined.

First off, I like dill.  I buy a plant last month, transplant it and because of the cold weather, it croaked.  I don’t use dill much even though I do like it, so I just resigned myself to buying it when I needed it.  Well, I needed it for some of my Grilled Salmon with Blue Cheese, so I bought some…at an OUTRAGEOUS price I might add.

Next, I like cucumbers, particularly the European kind and they were on sale buy one get one.  However, I almost always end up having to throw at least half of it out.  I’m on a mission here NOT to waste food!

A dilly of a salad!

So what I did was throw an extra chicken breast on the grill the other night for this because I really had a taste for some dill-flavored chicken.  The two go so well together.  HINT: next time you make chicken soup, throw a few sprigs of dill in with the stock.  You’ll love it!

And since dill and cucumbers are made for each other, I decided to add some hunks of cukes as well.  And the result was delicious and hearty…you call this one a meal.

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Dilly Ranch Grilled Chicken & Pasta Salad

Here’s a hearty pasta salad you can call a complete meal. Tasty grilled chicken and a delicate dill-flavored ranch dressing will have them coming back for seconds.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Chicken, salads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, pasta salad recipe

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 650kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz large grilled chicken breast
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 8 oz uncooked rotini or pasta shape of your choice
• salt & pepper to taste
• additional dill sprigs for garnish
• 1 tbs olive oil

DRESSING

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbs finely chopped dill
• 1 tbs ranch dressing mix the stuff in the envelope
• 2-3 tbs milk

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss; set aside.
• Slice cucumber in 1/2-inch slices, then quarter. Slice chicken breast about 1/8-inch thick. Add to pasta and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix all dressing ingredients, starting with 2 tbs of milk. If you desire a thinner dressing, add the additional 1 tbs milk. Stir well and add to the pasta mixture. Toss gently, coating all ingredients with dressing.
• Chill for about 1 hour. Makes 4-6 servings

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Dilly Ranch Grilled Chicken & Pasta Salad

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2014. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker’s express consent.

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This wonderfully citrus and tarragon-infused grilled chicken is excellent for summer BBQs.

Here comes summer–AT LAST!  Memorial Day usually kicks off the summer cookout season, followed up by the 4th of July, and this is a perfect entry!

Tarragon is such a great herb for flavoring chicken.  It wasn’t one I’d normally think of to be honest, but years ago my chef friend Klaus served me broiled chicken that was flavored with tarragon and I was hooked.  He also used it in sauteed zucchini–try it. It’s wonderful.

Delicate herb and citrus flavor

The herb has a very slight anise-like flavor.  If that’s not your dish of tea then thyme is a fine substitute in this or even rosemary (although with rosemary, I’d use only about 2 tsp in the marinade because it’s quite potent!).

I love this done on the grill, but you can do it in the oven as well.  If I do this in the oven, I more often than not will pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown it more and crisp the skin.

Lovely done on the grill

This is very good served with my Smoky Two-Potato Salad and the chickens you see in the photographs were eaten with just that!

Citrus Tarragon Chicken

• 1 whole chicken, split or cut into quarters
• Marinade:
• 2 whole limes
• 2 whole lemons (large ones)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbs dried tarragon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil

For marinade–juice the limes and lemons, reserving the rinds.


In a small bowl, mix the lemon & lime juices and the rest of the marinade ingredients.  Stir in the reserved lemon and lime rinds.


Make 1/4-inch deep slits on the meaty parts of the chicken–this helps the marinade infuse into the meat.


Place chicken in a large zipper freezer bag and pour marinade over chicken.  Seal the bag, mush the contents a bit so the marinade and citrus rinds are distributed evenly.  Place in refrigerator and marinate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight–I recommend strongly letting it marinate overnight!


Preheat BBQ grill to medium-low heat.  Place chicken bone side down on the grill. Grill for 30 minutes (with the lid closed).  Turn chicken and grill for an additional 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken is 185 degrees F.


Alternately, this can be made in the oven by cooking it at 375 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, or until internal temp is 185 degrees F or juices run clear.


Serves 4.

Citrus Tarragon Chicken

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2014. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker’s express consent.

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The post Citrus Tarragon Chicken appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Cherry Bomb Chicken is another All Recipes Allstar project.  This time from the grill and SPECTACULAR!

The Recipe

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Chef John's Cherry Bomb Chicken

Cherry Bomb Chicken is another All Recipes Allstar project.  This time from the grill and SPECTACULAR!

Prep Time4 hours hrs

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course: Chicken, GRILLING

Cuisine: American

Keyword: BBQ CHICKEN, grilled chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 209kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 whole 4 lb chicken cut into quarters

BRINE

• 1 quart water
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 hot peppers I used thai chiles
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

HERB OIL

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

GLAZE

• 2 tbsp pepper jelly
• 1 tbs Sriacha hot chili sauce

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, kosher salt and the sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat; cool.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, hot peppers and allspice to a blender. Pour in the cooled brine. Process until completely pureed. You may use a stick blender or a Ninja too for this step.
• Make 1/8-inch deep slits on the skin side of the chicken (2 or 3 will do per piece) as this helps the marinade to infuse the chicken.
• Place chicken in a large re-sealable container. Pour marinade over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
• Mix the oil and the herbs.
• Preheat one side of the grill to very hot. If you have a thermometer in the cover, grill should be about 450 to 500 degrees F. Oil the grill grids. Brush each piece of chicken on both sides with the herbed oil mixture.
• Place chicken, skin side down over direct heat of grill. Grill for about 5 minutes, or until grill marks are present.
• Move chicken to the UNLIT side of the grill (indirect heat) and continue cooking for 35-40 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is nicely brown.
• Mix pepper jelly and hot sauce. Brush over chicken.
• Remove chicken from grill and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 9565mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 1051IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Che John’s Cherry Bomb Chicken

 

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