Grilled Chicken Thighs image

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Melon Salsa

Barbecue season won’t last forever, but memories of good times and good food can. Grilled chicken thighs coated with mouth-watering seasonings pair perfectly with a summer-fresh salsa – it’s the ideal meal for your next backyard gathering!

  • Yield: 6 – 8 servings
  • Prep Time: 55 minutes
  • Marinating Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes

Chef’s Tips

  • Try substituting watermelon or honeydew melon for the cantaloupe

Ingredients

For the chicken:

        • 1 cup (250 g) plain yogurt
        • 2 tbsp (34 g) minced red onion
        • 1 tbsp (3 pcs) minced garlic
        • 1 tbsp (9 g) paprika
        • 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
        • 2 tsp (4 g) ground mustard seed
        • 1 tsp (2 g) ground turmeric
        • ½ tsp (3 g) salt
        • ¼ tsp (1 g) cayenne powder
        • 8 (1500 g) Sargent Farms Boneless Thighs
        • Vegetable oil, for grilling

For the salsa:

        • 2 cups (350 g) cantaloupe, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
        • 1 ½ cups (225 g) cucumber, cut into ½ -inch cubes
        • ½ cup (115 g) red onion, cut into ¼-inch cubes
        • ¼ cup (10 g) mint leaves, chopped
        • 1 medium (25 g) jalapeno, minced
        • 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
        • 1 tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar
        • 2 tsp (20 ml) honey
        • ½ tsp (3 g) salt
        • ½ tsp (2 g) pepper

Directions:

For the chicken:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, onion, garlic, paprika, coriander, mustard seed, turmeric, salt and cayenne.
  2. Pour marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken. Turn the bag over a few times to ensure the chicken is fully coated. Place bag in a rimmed dish, place in refrigerator and allow chicken to marinade for at least 4 hours, or you can leave it overnight.

For the salsa:

  1. In a medium bowl, toss together the cantaloupe, cucumber, onion, mint and jalapeno.
  2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the cantaloupe mixture and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Light the grill and heat on high for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and brush the grate with oil.
  4. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off.
  5. Place the chicken on the grill and then cover the grill. Turn occasionally, until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165‎°F (75‎°C), about 20 minutes in total.
  6. Transfer chicken to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  7. Serve with the chilled salsa on the side.
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