I saw a version of this in a health magazine and I thought it was a perfect, easy mid-week dish that’s light, yet flavorful. I liked the idea of hot/cold combos and the kick of jalapeno in the sauce. I marinated the chicken for over 24 hours and it really made a difference in the flavor. I find that 30 minutes of marinating anything doesn’t do anything to really change the flavor of the meat.
Grilled Chicken with Spicy cucumbers

Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6-8 oz each)
- 1 1/4 tsps fine sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, more as needed
- 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
- finely grated zest of 1 lime
- 2 garlic cloves, grated finely
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- For the sauce:
- 1/3C packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3C packed fresh parsley leaves
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, more to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice, more to taste
- 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced, (about 2 1/4 cups)
Instructions
- Place a chicken breast between a layer of parchment paper or plastic wrap.
- Use a mallet, rolling pin or the flat side of a heavy knife to pound to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Repeat with remaining breasts.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.
- Place in a bowl and toss with lime zest, garlic and oil.
- Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the sauce:
- In a blender, combine cilantro, parsley, oil, jalapenos, garlic, salt and lime juice.
- Blend until smooth, adding 1-2 tbsps of water if needed to thin.
- Heat grill to medium high or heat up the broiler or a grill pan.
- Grill or broil until chicken is lightly browned at the edges and just cooked through, 2-4 minutes per side.
- In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with a pinch of salt.
- Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Right before serving, toss the cucumbers with sauce and serve alongside the chicken, drizzling chicken with any leftover sauce from the bottom of the cucumber bowl and a little olive oil.