New Australian Grilled Chicken
Over the next few years, I think North Americans (and indeed the rest of the world) are going to become more and more interested in the Australian food scene. The best of the new Aussie cooking is stylish and chic, always innovative and yet basically quite simple. Although some indigenous Australian foods can be difficult (if not downright impossible) to acquire, you can still apply their great style to many common ingredients. And where grilling is concerned, there is more to the Aussies than “throwing another shrimp on the barbie” — as good as that is.
Serves6
Cooking MethodGrilling
CostModerate
Kid FriendlyYes
OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together
Recipe CourseMain Course
Dietary ConsiderationDiabetic, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Halal, Healthy, Kosher, Lactose-free, Low Carb, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free
EquipmentGrill
MealDinner, Lunch
MoodStressed
Taste and TextureGarlicky, Meaty, Savory, Sharp, Smoky, Tangy, Tart
Type of DishMain Course Salad, Salad, Warm Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (50 mL) balsamic vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¼ cup (50 mL) olive oil
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 small limes, halved
- 4 to 6 cups (1 to 1.5 L) fresh arugula, washed and dried
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) balsamic vinegar
- Shallow glass or ceramic baking dish
Instructions
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Preheat grill to medium-high.
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In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend ingredients.
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Lay chicken breasts on large sheet of waxed paper. Cover with another sheet of waxed paper and, using a kitchen mallet, gently pound chicken breasts until they have a uniform thickness of about ¼ inch (5 mm). (The thinner they are, the faster they will cook.)
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Place chicken in baking dish and cover with marinade. Turn chicken over a few times; cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
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Remove chicken from marinade. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Use tongs to turn chicken breasts. Do not overcook or breasts will be dry.
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Place lime halves on grill, cut-side down, to cook and caramelize slightly. Arrange arugula on individual serving plates; drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Transfer cooked chicken to cutting board; cut into thick diagonal slices. Remove limes from grill.
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Arrange cooked chicken on greens. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve with grilled limes alongside.
Notes
This recipe captures the easy-yet-edgy appeal of Aussie food — few ingredients, fast cooking and just different enough to be distinctive. Grilling the limes caramelizes them slightly, which provides eye appeal and a lovely citrus element when squeezed over the chicken.
1999, 2007 Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh
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wnblevins 8703047
Aug 16, 2012
I like the ingredient list of this recipe--nice and light with a good touch of citrus acid. But... Be very cautious of cooking time if the "paillards" are 1/4" thick--which I tend to think is too thin for chicken 1) because it starts to shred and 2) because you create a lot of surface area taking up the entire grill (especially if doing 6) Five minutes per side over medium high heat would almost guarantee that your finished chicken breast has the consistency of a roofing shingle. 6 to 7 minutes TOTAL cooking time would be more likely at a heat to brown the surface.
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