Name: Grilled Marinated Chicken with Tropical Salsa
Prep time: 12 h 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 h 40 min
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients: 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk; 1 12-ounce can cold refrigerated ginger ale; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste; 1 ounce fresh cilantro left whole on stems; 1 ounce fresh ginger sliced; 2 to 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts; ½ fresh pineapple, cored, cleaned and cut ½ inch dice, about 2 cups; 1 whole fresh mango, stone removed, skinned and cut ½ inch dice, about 1 cup; 1 whole sweet red bell pepper stemmed and seeded, cut ½ inch dice, about 1 cup; 3 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeno; ½ red onion, small dice, about 1 cup; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped; Juice from two fresh limes, about ¼ cup; Juice from half a lemon, about 2 tablespoons; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated; Vegetable or canola oil for grill

Description

Note: Red curry paste is flavorful but not hot and spicy. Although this dish has Thai influence, it is not a hot and spicy dish. The coconut milk acts as the fat and the ginger ale acts as the acid (two key ingredients in a marinade)

Ingredients

For the Marinade

1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
1 12-ounce can cold refrigerated ginger ale
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 ounce fresh cilantro left whole on stems
1 ounce fresh ginger sliced
2 to 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

For the Salsa

½ fresh pineapple, cored, cleaned and cut ½ inch dice, about 2 cups
1 whole fresh mango, stone removed, skinned and cut ½ inch dice, about 1 cup
1 whole sweet red bell pepper stemmed and seeded, cut ½ inch dice, about 1 cup
3 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeno
½ red onion, small dice, about 1 cup
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice from two fresh limes, about ¼ cup
Juice from half a lemon, about 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
Vegetable or canola oil for grill

Instructions

The night before serving prepare the marinade as follows: Note – The can of coconut milk separates in the can. Open upside down so the fat will be at the bottom and the liquid at the top. This makes it easier to remove from the can. Place the contents into a sauce pan and heat and stir until fat has melted and the coconut milk is blended. Pour this into a medium bowl.
Add cold ginger ale, fish sauce, soy sauce and red curry paste. Stir in cilantro and ginger. If the mixture is warmer than room temperature, allow to cool while you prepare the chicken. Stir with a whip occasionally so that the coconut fat does not congeal in the liquid.
Butterfly the chicken breasts. (Lay breasts flat with side that had skin down. Run a sharp knife horizontally from center out to almost the edge through the fatter part of the breast. Once done, the breast should be all the same thickness so it grills evenly).
Place chicken and marinade in a gallon zip lock bag and marinate refrigerated overnight.
The day of service mix all salsa ingredients as close to serving as possible. Once you put the salt in, the fruit will start to give up liquid so either leave the salt out until just before serving or prep the ingredients ahead and combine just before you are ready to grill. Once the fruit is cut, it does start to weep, salt or no salt, the closer to serving the better.
Heat grill to high on one side and medium on the other.
Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Lay out breasts on paper towels and pat dry.
Place on a platter or pan and generously coat both sides with oil. (always oil your food and not the grill)
At this point, this is where I made my salsa.
Place breasts on hot side and sear about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side. Move to the cooler side, close grill cover and cook a few more minutes until no longer pink. (use a small knife to slice open and check the thickest piece).
Transfer to a clean platter and serve with the salsa.