Chipotle Chive Chicken Thighs with Avocado Corn Salsa
Things have slowed down slightly at Minneapple Eats this week, as my husband and I just moved into our first house! It's been a busy but exciting week that has included a lot of grilling and sitting out on the deck. Our last place didn't have an outdoor space, which was a total bummer, and really cramped our outdoor eating style. Now I see no reason to do any cooking indoors until December. Actually, to be fair, we did grill a few New Year's Eves ago, so let's not rule out winter grilling too quickly...
I created this recipe before we had our outdoor space, so these chicken thighs were made indoors (::sad trumpet::). Deglazing the pan on the stove with sweet vermouth really can't be beat, but a nice char from the grill instead is also pretty fantabulous. So pick your pleasure; I'll include instructions for both stovetop and grill.
Chipotle Chive Chicken Thighs with Avocado Corn Salsa
Serves: 2
Preparation TIme: 20-30 minutes
For the chicken:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
pinch of salt
your favorite chipotle/adobo sauce
1 box of chives (or fresh from the garden), minced (save half or more for the salsa)
1 tsp. light flavored cooking oil (I used a canola-coconut blend)
sweet vermouth or sweet wine, for deglazing
crema or Greek yogurt, to serve
For the salsa:
1 tsp. light-flavored cooking oil
1/4 c. red onion, minced
1.5 c. frozen sweet corn kernels (or fresh if in season, avoid canned corn)
1 avocado, diced
squeeze of lime juice
handful of minced chives
salt/pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Place chicken thighs in a high-walled bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pour in chipotle/adobo sauce until the chicken is well-coated. Throw in a handful of minced chives and stir until evenly distributed. Let chicken marinate briefly while you make the salsa. If you're grilling the chicken thighs, pre-heat the grill now.
2. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tsp. oil over high heat. Add onion to hot pan and stir fry. Once the onions have started to soften and turn slightly golden, add frozen or fresh corn kernels. Continue to stir fry until the onions and corn are just barely charred and then remove from heat and place in a bowl, along with the diced avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. Stir until well-combined. Season with salt/pepper to taste and top with chives.
3a. Bring the same saute pan back to a medium-high heat if you're cooking the chicken thighs on the stovetop. Once hot, add chicken thighs to pan, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Brown for a few minutes on each side. Deglaze pan with a spash of sweet vermouth, let sizzle for a minute, then cover and remove from heat. Check for doneness after about 10 minutes.
3b. If you're grilling the chicken, place chicken on a hot grill and sear on both sides. Once seared, move chicken to upper rack, or away from direct heat and cover. Feel free to brush the chicken thighs with a little sweet vermouth as you grill. Grill until cooked through.
4. Serve chicken thighs with the avocado corn salsa and a dollop of Greek yogurt, if desired.
