Chamomile Brined Chicken and Summer Squash Goodness

Time to start that grill

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

When the weather starts to get warm, the thought of turning the oven on for an hour makes me cringe. I like to opt for chicken on the grill, but I decided to spatchcock it so the skin can get really crispy. There is something so satisfying about that crispy chicken skin.

We love the restaurant, Clementine, in San Antonio. We have eaten there a few times, but they also share recipes on their blog. I thought would take a few and do my spins on them and I love the results.

I decided on the chicken and thought it would pair nicely with a chimichurri sauce. I The bright flavors of chimichurri sauce makes me happy and thought that this would be a nice addition to the menu.

This recipe takes some planning ahead. If you don’t have time to brine, then generously season it with salt and leave at room temperature for an hour. Remember brining is to bring flavor and moisture but you don’t want to do it for too long or it makes the meat spongy and no one likes spongy chicken.

Pairing it with summer squash and zucchini isn’t really a risky move, but some folks find it boring. I understand that squash can be done to death, but I promise you this one is a bit different. This recipe is a new twist on an old classic. I love the old fashioned Southern squash bake that my Aunt Beulah would make with sour cream and saltines, but I wanted to try something new. This one has with an unexpected zing and crunch.

For zing, I add some pepper jelly. You can use whatever kind you like and even add more if that makes your tongue happy. For crunch, I added toasted dry roasted pepitas. Pepitas come from pumpkin seeds and most grocery stores carry them. I like to buy them in bulk bags from Trader Joes. I love them in salads or just by the handful.

Is this recipe something you would like more of? Consider joining my highly curated weekly subscription, Mastering the Ease of Home Cooking ™. It includes a meal plan, grocery list, recipes and mise en place (prep list), to give you the tools to be a successful home cook. Subscribe now.