Grilled Asparagus Chicken Calabrian Chili (Printer-friendly)
Grilled chicken and asparagus paired with a bold, spicy Calabrian chili sauce for a flavorful meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken & Vegetables
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
02 - 1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 tsp kosher salt
05 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Calabrian Chili Sauce
06 - 1/3 cup Calabrian chili peppers packed in oil, finely chopped
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tbsp honey
11 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - Additional chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How-To Guide:
01 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Drizzle both the chicken and asparagus with olive oil, then season evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place the chicken breasts on the hot grill. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear.
04 - Add the asparagus to the grill during the last 4 to 5 minutes of the chicken's cooking time. Turn occasionally until crisp-tender and lightly charred with distinct grill marks.
05 - While the chicken and asparagus cook, combine the chopped Calabrian chili peppers with their oil, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, honey, and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir until well blended.
06 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Slice diagonally if desired.
07 - Arrange the sliced chicken and grilled asparagus on serving plates. Drizzle generously with the Calabrian chili sauce. Finish with a sprinkling of lemon zest and additional chopped parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Calabrian chili sauce is one of those condiments that will ruin you for plain hot sauce forever, sweet and garlicky and ferocious all at once.
- Everything cooks on one grill or pan, which means you get maximum flavor with surprisingly little cleanup.
02 -
- Those beautiful grill marks will turn into black stripes if your heat is too high so if things start smoking aggressively pull everything to a cooler spot immediately.
- Letting the chicken rest is not optional and I learned this the hard way when I sliced too early and watched all the juices pool uselessly on the cutting board.
03 -
- Finely chopping the Calabrian peppers instead of leaving them chunky gives you a sauce that coats evenly instead of delivering surprise firebombs in random bites.
- Making the sauce an hour ahead and letting it sit at room temperature melds the flavors in a way that tastes like you did far more work than you actually did.