Grilled Chicken with Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette
My grill is my favorite cooking appliance… next to my 40’s Western Holly oven of course. One is inside and one is outside, but both make amazing meals when used correctly. While my Western Holly is running constantly from November through May, once the weather warms up in June or July, my grill takes over for most meals.
I’ve made everything on this grill from steaks, to pies (yes, pies) to chicken. I even smoked a turkey for Thanksgiving on it once, but that’s a story for another time. Needless to say, my grill gets a ton of use. I actually can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can move my cooking outside. I know it sounds odd, but I love cooking outside. Not only is the smell amazing, but the wind blowing in my hair while flipping burgers is just wonderful. Needless to say, I love it.
While I’ll grill up steaks or pork chops without thinking twice, one of my favorite things to grill are chicken breasts. The chicken breasts take no time to cook, especially is you thin them out a bit with a hammer. Seriously, all you need is about 10 minutes and you’ve got dinner. And if you marinate them or cover them in a tangy vinaigrette, they’re even better. While I’ve had my breasts both marinated and covered with sauce, this time I followed a recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine that called for a tangy vinaigrette.
I love a good vinaigrette, especially when drizzled over a salad. I don’t think I’ve ever had one over meat before. But after this, I plan on doing it more often. Unlike most vinaigrettes that are made up of oils and citrus, this one calls for shallots and olives. It’s the olives that caught my attention. Everyone in my family loves olives. My boys love the black ones while I prefer the green. But I’ll pretty much eat any variety that’s put in front of me. Neither green nor black are used in this vinaigrette, though. Instead, it called for Kalamatas… the one olive I don’t like. They’re too salty or bitter or… something. I don’t know, I’m just not a fan.
So, why did I decide to make it then? Because I thought combining the kalamatas with vinegar, shallots and mustard would change the flavor. I was right. Thanks to the mustard and vinegar, the kalamatas lose some of their briney quality and actually become a wonderful compliment to the savory chicken. Thanks to Fine Cooking I have discovered a new way to enjoy kalamatas that doesn’t involve a Greek salad and feta cheese. Who knew that chopping up olives and mixing them with shallots and mustard would make me love them? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not planning on opening up a jar and munching, but I’ll definitely be making this chicken dish again. It’s super easy and best of all, the whole family chomped it up.
Notes
Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 6 pitted Kalamata olives, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to 400 degrees F.
- Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a kitchen mallet to a 1/2-inch thickness. Brush both sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place the breasts on the grill and cook turning once, until cooked through, 6-10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest.
- While the chicken cooks, whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, and sugar together in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining olive oil. Finally stir in the olives and parsley.
- Slice the chicken and serve with the vinaigrette spooned over it.
