This post is written in collaboration with Stonewall Kitchen. All opinions are my own.
After what felt like an eternity, the wave of illness in my house is finally easing. I may be celebrating a little early by hosting a summer BBQ with bright, tropical flavors, but getting everyone outside with good food seemed like the perfect way to restore some normalcy.
The trouble began the last week of May, when my 10-year-old fell seriously ill and missed a week of school. A few days later Matt got sick and then passed it to the toddler, who ended up in the hospital. After more than 30 days of caregiving, I was craving sunshine and simple, comforting food—whether everyone was quite ready or not. Matt and the toddler are still recovering and moving slowly at about 85%, but I’ll take that over another hospital visit any day.
I believe that getting up, getting outside, and enjoying good food helps speed recovery. To encourage everyone outdoors, I planned a barbecue menu I knew they would love and used a few of my favorite Stonewall Kitchen products to lift familiar recipes. For the chicken I used Stonewall Kitchen’s Cubano Mojo Sauce; it adds a touch of sweetness and depth and caramelizes beautifully over high heat.
I liked the mojo so much that I stirred some into my German potato salad along with Stonewall Kitchen’s Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette. The two together brought bright acidity and rounded flavor that keeps the potato salad tasting fresh on hot days—much more stable than a classic mayo-based version. My little one prefers his with extra chives and crispy bacon.
Finish the meal with a kiwi margarita mixer for a tropical touch, and you have a summer BBQ that comes together in under an hour. I’ll raise a glass to sunshine and to finally sending sickness packing from our home.
Grilled Mojo Chicken
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts, pounded to 3/4 inch thick
- 4–5 tablespoons kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Stonewall Cubano Mojo Sauce
Instructions
Whisk together the kosher salt, cracked pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Heavily coat each chicken breast with the seasoning mixture. Arrange the breasts on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet so air can circulate above and below for a quick brine. Set aside at room temperature while you heat the grill.
For a gas grill: heat on high with the lid closed for 15 minutes. Open the lid and reduce heat to medium, waiting 5–7 minutes for the temperature to settle to about 400°F. Oil the grates with canola oil.
For a charcoal grill: heat the coals until they are white and ashy, then oil the grates with canola oil.
Place the chicken on the prepared grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and grill for another 5 minutes. Brush one side with Cubano Mojo Sauce and grill 2 more minutes. Brush the other side with sauce and grill an additional 2 minutes. Check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Optional: serve with grilled pineapple and a mango relish.
Notes
German Potato Salad
Serves 6
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1.5 lb red fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1.5 lb gold fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1/4 cup Stonewall Kitchen Cubano Mojo Sauce
- 1/4 cup Stonewall Kitchen Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons parsley
- 2 tablespoons chives
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a 3-quart pot. Add the potatoes carefully, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until a fork pierces them easily, about 15 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
While the potatoes cool, cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease. Cook the shallots in the remaining grease until translucent, about 2 minutes. Fold the shallots into the potatoes. Coarsely chop the bacon and add it to the potato mixture. Allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature.
When cooled, add the Cubano Mojo Sauce, Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette, parsley, chives, lemon juice, and black pepper. Fold gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.