An Inspired Chicken Breast Dinner Will See You Through the Dog Days—and Beyond

This recipe combines the tender, marinated chicken breasts with a zesty white sauce that's a perfect complement to the smoky char of the grill. (Beth Fuller/TNS)

For grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are juicy, savory, and well browned, we started by pounding them 1/2-inch thick so that they cooked through evenly. Soaking the chicken for 30 minutes in a potent “brinerade” seasoned it and added moisture; we spiked the salt water with just enough umami-rich fish sauce to add savory depth without any trace of fishiness, as well as honey to encourage browning. Coating the chicken in a little oil before grilling kept it from sticking to the grate, and cooking it over a hot fire ensured that it browned deeply.

To turn the chicken into a complete meal, we used the time while it was marinating and the grill was heating to prepare other ingredients. This recipe combines the tender, marinated chicken breasts with a zesty white sauce that’s a perfect complement to the smoky char of the grill. The tangy white sauce features mayonnaise, lemon juice, and aromatic spices like coriander and cardamom.

Once grilled to perfection alongside warmed pitas and fresh vegetables, the chicken is sliced and served, offering a delightful contrast of textures and tastes. Whether enjoyed with a side of rice or on its own, this recipe is a surefire crowd-pleaser.

Grilled Chicken With Warm Pita, Lettuce, Tomato, and White Sauce

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 (8-inch) pitas, divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 plum tomatoes, cored, halved lengthwise, and sliced
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• Hot sauce

1. Pound chicken gently with meat pounder until 1/2-inch thick. Whisk 1/3 cup water, the fish sauce, honey, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl. Transfer mixture to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add chicken, press out air, seal bag, and turn bag so contents are evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. While chicken marinates, stir mayonnaise, lemon juice, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, remaining 2 tablespoons water, and remaining pepper in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to three days.)

3. For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.

4. Lightly moisten two pitas with water. Sandwich remaining pitas between moistened pitas and wrap tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Remove chicken from refrigerator and open one corner of the bag to drain and discard excess marinade. Add oil to chicken, re-seal bag and turn to evenly coat.

5. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place packet of pita on one half of the grill. Place chicken, skinned side down, on the other half of the grill. Cook (covered if using gas) until pitas are heated through, about 5 minutes, flipping pita packet occasionally. Cook chicken until dark grill marks develop and breasts register 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes.

6. Slice chicken into thin strips and transfer to a serving platter. Arrange tomatoes and lettuce on a platter next to the chicken. Serve with white sauce, warm pita, and hot sauce.

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