Earlier this summer almost all of the urns in the front, side and back of the house were filled primarily with herbs this year. It wasn't so much a fortuitous decision as it was one primarily made due to indecisiveness. Not only couldn't I decide on a which white or blue monochromatic color scheme to have this year, I had waited longer than I should have to find the varieties of flowers I wanted. Due my procrastination the urns were filled with a variety of herbs and a few geraniums. A significant departure from the overflowing flower urn look I had been trying to achieve in years past. However, the basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, sage, mint, thyme, dill, and chives have thrived, mostly because someone has religiously watered them (and that someone would not be me). Having out my back door access to fresh herbs has been both a luxury and blessing. Maybe one of the best urn planting decisions. Surprisingly I really don't miss my flower filled urns (well, maybe just a teeny tiny little bit). In looking ahead, I think mostly herb filled urns will be the intentional planting plan next year.
While there have yet to be any mojitos made with the mint or pesto made with basil, the herbs have made frequent appearances in salads, on pasta dishes, in meatballs, and on crostini to name a few. And this past weekend they made the best Chimchurri Sauce.
We grill a lot of chicken around here. But there is only so much excitement one can muster around a grilled seasoned chicken breast. Unless you plate it with fresh vegetables or on top of a salad, it doesn't have much of a wow factor on a plate. Marinate it overnight in a buttermilk mixture, grill it, cut into slice, top with a Chimichurri Sauce and now you have a weeknight dinner looking Saturday night dinner party worthy.
We have heard about marinating then frying chicken, however, we often don't think of using that technique when roasting or grilling. Although it's not absolutely necessary for frying or grilling, marinating chicken in a buttermilk mixture tenderizes the meat as well as imparts flavor. Not only does buttermilk's slightly acidic quality help to tenderize the chicken, the enzymes in it help to break down the protein. Thus you end up with a more tender, moister chicken.
Up until recently I always associated Chimichurri Sauce with grilled meats. Like with THIS Marinated Grilled Flank Steak. Why it took me so long to put the chicken together with this chimichurri sauce is anyone's guess. Once you taste these flavor combinations you too might find it hard to serve grilled chicken without it. Fresh parsley is the foundational herb in this sauce. This version used a combination of basil and oregano, garlic cloves, capers, sea salt, and olive oil. It literally comes together in minutes in a food processor. I like to let my chimichurri sauce rest (covered) for about an hour to let the herbs infuse even more flavor into the olive oil. With herbs in abundance in gardens, urns or at farmer's markets, this is perfect season for Chimichurri Sauce.
Technically soaking the chicken breasts in a seasoned buttermilk mixture would be considered a brining process. If you have never brined chicken or a turkey, you will be surprised at how easy it easy. The chicken sits in a mixture of buttermilk, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary for at least 8 hours or (preferably) overnight (See notes below for additional, optional brining ingredients.) I like marinating the chicken in a flat dish versus a ziplock bag, but either way works. Just be sure to turn the chicken at least once during the brining process.
While your grill heats up, remove the chicken from the marinade and let sit on a rack to allow it to drain. Place your chicken breasts on a hot grill and cook until done. Cooking time will be dependent on the thickness of the chicken. These slightly more than one pound breasts took almost twenty minutes. Let your chicken breasts rest at least 5 minutes before cutting into thick slices and arranging on a (white) platter.
Then drizzle the Chimichurri Sauce down the center of the chicken and serve. Note: Recommend making a double batch of the sauce so you can serve some on the side.
Even the meat lovers amongst your family and friends will be impressed with this Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce. With the money you saved buying chicken over beef, buy some really, really good wine (something with a rating of at least 92 points) for an even more unforgettable meal.
Serve the Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce with some a platter of some grilled or roasted vegetables and your favorite salad. Don't forget a basket of bread. This could easily become one of your favorite and easiest go-to weeknight as well as entertaining dishes. Seriously.
Recipe
Buttermilk Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce
Serves 6-8 Ingredients
Chicken
2 to 2 1/4 pounds of skin-on or skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups (1 pint) buttermilk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 Tablespoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons chopped rosemary
Chimichurri Sauce
1/2 cup (10g) flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Tablespoons chopped tender fresh herbs (e.g., basil, oregano, chervil, or cilantro)
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil, plus more if needed
2 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed
Pinch of sea salt
Directions
Chicken
1. In a bowl, mix together the buttermilk, garlic, sea salt, pepper and rosemary.
2. Place chicken in a shallow bowl (or use a plastic ziplock bag). Pour mixture over the chicken. Tightly cover bowl and/or seal bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Turn chicken over and/or flip ziplock bags at least once.
3. Remove the chicken and place on a wire rack (with a sheet pan underneath) to allow marinade mixture to drip off.
4. Place drained chicken breasts on a preheated grill. Grilling time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. The one pound breasts used took approximately 20 minutes.
5. Remove cooked breasts from the grill and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting into 1/4" slices.
Chimichurri Sauce and Assembly
1. Place parsley, fresh herb of choice (I used a combination of basil and oregano), garlic and capers in a small food processor. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped.
2. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Pour in olive oil and pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine.
3. Serve immediately, allow to sit up to an hour before serving, or store, tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If stored in the refrigerator, remove at least 30 minutes before serving.
4. Drizzle Chimichurri Sauce over sliced grilled chicken. Serve extra sauce on the side.
Notes: (1) Double the amount of Chimichurri Sauce. You can always store leftovers in the refrigerator. (2) If you are in a hurry, make the Chimichurri Sauce and just grill up some (non-buttermilk marinated) chicken breasts. (3) For a slightly sweeter marinade, add 2 Tablespoons of honey and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil to the marinade. (4) If you don't have a large white platter, get one. They are incredibly versatile and make food look absolutely beautiful.
Sunset at Mallory Square, Key West, Florida (July 2018)
