Quick Chicken On a Bun

BBQ season is fully upon us, and even for those poor schlubs like me who don't have a BBQ (not by choice I assure you), the thought of steaks, ribs, seafood, and all manner of bun-contained grilled meats sits quietly throbbing in the back of our brains. Even without a BBQ, all of the above summer staples can and must (the throbbing brain demands meat) be made.

First off, remember that chicken on a bun doesn't ever have to be boring. You can marinate the chicken, add tasty sauces (BBQ, Dijon, teriyaki, etc), or church it up with fresh summer tomatoes, avocado, cheese, or the king of condiments: BACON. Yeah that's right, I just dropped the B-Bomb. On that stuttering note, I give you this easy recipe for chicken on a bun.

Marinade

1/4 cup Olive oil

3 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

3 Tbsp Cooking Sherry (optional)

3 Tbsp White Wine

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

Fresh Parsley

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Chicken

Score the chicken by making several diagonal cuts to allow the marinade to more easily penetrate the meat, and let the chicken sit in the marinade, totally covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Don't worry, chicken is fine out of the fridge for a bit, especially when it's sitting in an acid/ alcohol mixture like a marinade. Once you're ready to cook...

1. Heat a pan with oil, and once very hot, add chicken.
2. Sear chicken on both sides so it's nice and golden brown.
3. Finish in oven for 20 minutes, or until chicken is firm and juices run clear.
4. Place on a bun with your favourite condiments!

Note: For the marinade, I'm combining 4 natural marinading tenderizers: Alcohol (wine and sherry), vinegar, acid (lemon juice), and salt. At least 1 of these components should be present in any marinade to help break up the muscle fibres in the meat, making it tender while adding flavour. Also, mustard is a good addition to many chicken-related marinades, as it helps to emulsify the mixture and distribute everything evenly.