Grilled Asparagus Chicken Calabrian (Printable)
Tender grilled chicken and charred asparagus with a spicy Calabrian chili sauce for a bold Italian-inspired meal.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Vegetables
07 - 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
→ Calabrian Chili Sauce
08 - 3 tablespoons Calabrian chili paste
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon honey
12 - 1 small shallot, finely minced
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Zest of 1 lemon
15 - Salt, to taste
# How-To:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, turning each piece to coat evenly. Let rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high, approximately 400°F. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Toss the trimmed asparagus with a light drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside near the grill.
05 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place on the hot grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden grill marks form and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
06 - While the chicken rests, lay the asparagus across the grill grates perpendicular to the bars. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and crisp-tender.
07 - In a small bowl, stir together the Calabrian chili paste, olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, minced shallot, chopped parsley, and lemon zest. Season with salt to taste and adjust the heat level as desired.
08 - Arrange the grilled chicken and asparagus on serving plates. Drizzle the Calabrian chili sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That Calabrian chili sauce is the kind of condiment you will want to put on literally everything once you taste it.
- Forty minutes start to finish and you have a meal that looks and tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
02 -
- Do not skip the rest time for the chicken because cutting into it immediately means all those juices end up on the plate instead of in the meat where they belong.
- Taste the Calabrian chili sauce before serving because chili pastes vary wildly in heat level and you may need more honey or vinegar to balance your particular jar.
03 -
- Oil your grill grates with a paper towel dipped in olive oil right before cooking because even with oiled chicken the asparagus will stick without this step.
- Let the sauce sit at room temperature while you grill so the flavors meld and the shallot softens slightly in the acid, making it taste more cohesive than if you serve it immediately after mixing.