Grilled Chicken with Pepperoncini Garlic Butter
This unique recipe is from Lindsay in Minnesota. Her blog is Pinch of Yum, and for such a young cook, she’s got some great recipes on her site, which started as a hobby when she was a teacher.
Lindsay serves this chicken and sauce over hummus, with a cucumber and tomato salad, plus feta and pita bread, like a fabulous meze spread. I’m just making the chicken with the pepperoncini butter sauce. What intrigued me most about about the recipe is the sauce.
If you’re not familiar with pepperoncini, which are pickled mild yellow chile peppers, you might have seen them on a Greek salad or even on a pizza. They are mild in flavor but the pickling brine is strong. Make sure you’re prepared if you’re biting into one for the first time!
Lindsay’s full original recipe is below and printable.
Grilled Chicken with Pepperoncini Garlic Butter
Grilled Chicken:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pepperoncini Butter Sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup pepperoncini brine
1/4 to 1/2 cup pepperoncini, chopped
Place the chicken, spices, and olive oil together in a large bowl or plastic bag. Mix until well-coated; set aside in the fridge while you prep the other elements (30 minutes up to several hours).
Melt the butter. Stir in the garlic, brine, and pepperoncini pieces. Set aside.
Using a grill, grill pan, or skillet, cook the chicken until cooked through and golden brown on both sides. (I used some salt and pepper as well.) If you have a meat thermometer, I highly recommend using it so you don’t overcook the chicken! We’re looking for 160 degrees. (I get chicken to 155 degrees tops, but it’s a personal choice.) Let it rest for a moment (at least 15 minutes) then cut into slices.
Drizzle with the pepperoncini butter sauce and serve.
The sauce is good, but I’d add another clove of garlic and some salt.
However, what I really want to do is cut the 6 ounces of butter with half mayonnaise. Then slather it on any barbecued meats, or grilled seafood, or just bread! I would more finely chop the pepperoncini.
Grilled Chicken with Pepperoncini Garlic Butter
Grilled Chicken:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pepperoncini Butter Sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup pepperoncini brine
1/4 to 1/2 cup pepperoncinis, chopped
Cucumber Salad:
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Half a cucumber, chopped
Quarter of a red onion, minced or thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
Extras:
Chives
Feta
Hummus
Pita Bread
Place the chicken, spices, and olive oil together in a large bowl or plastic bag. Mix until well-coated; set aside in the fridge while you prep the other elements (30 minutes up to several hours).
Toss veggies with a small amount of salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar. (If you add too much it becomes watery, so use a light hand!)
Melt the butter (I just do this in the microwave). Stir in the garlic, brine, and pepperoncini pieces. Set aside.
Using a grill, grill pan, or skillet, cook the chicken until cooked through and golden brown on both sides. If you have a meat thermometer, I highly recommend using it so you don’t overcook the chicken! We’re looking for 160 degrees. Let it rest for a moment, then cut into slices.
If you want to serve it as a family-style meal – layer the hummus on a large platter. Add the cucumber salad in 3-4 little mounds around the outside of the plate.
Add the chicken right in the middle and drizzle with the pepperoncini butter sauce. Add feta, chives, and salt and pepper to finish.
Scoop onto plates or dip into the whole thing with pita bread.
About the Author: Chef Mimi
That pepperoncini butter sauce sounds absolutely amazing. I actually have a couple of jars of pepperoncini in the cupboard, never thought of using them to make a sauce. Not a fan of lean chicken breast..I bet chicken thighs would be just as great for this recipe.
It’s a really good sauce. I don’t like chicken breasts either, but my husband only eats them. I would use thighs as well.
I subscribe to Lindsay’s blog and think her style is very contemporary. Many of her recipes have too much going on. I like that you simplified this one. Barb
Interesting! I would agree with that! Thanks, Barb
My husband would love this.
It was really good!
I love pepperoncini — and can imagine the combination of flavors and textures here is amazing.
I hope you try it! An interesting sauce!
What a tasty recipe. I like the pinch of yum blog .
It is a very tasty sauce!
I often use pepperoncini as a condiment, but the idea of using it in a butter sauce indeed sounds so intriguing. Then again, what doesn’t sound good when mixed with butter? :D
I know! Odd! But it works!
I’ll bet it has a kick, but non overpowering one
Exactly!
That sauce sounds interesting. I will have to look for pepporoncino overseas.
You can’t get them in jars?!
oh yum this sounds so good Mimi. I love chicken and the sauce sounds fabulous!
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
The sauce is quite unique! Simple and delicious!
Sounds really tasty, Mimi! I’ll have to check out Lindsay’s blog.
And you inadvertently cleared up a minor mystery for me. I recently ordered pizza with a calabrese topping. It came with pepperoncini but I was confused when I saw it had slices of these jarred pickled peppers. I though they had just misspeling peperoncini, the Italian hot red pepper. Now I know better.
Ha! Well I’m so happy I inadvertently helped!
I absolutely love pepperoncini on sandwiches, but I’ve never thought about using them for a sauce. What a cool idea! I really need to play around with compound butters and butter sauces more often.
And mayonnaise with the pepperoncini! I can’t wait to make that!
I have some pepperoncini that need using up! I should make something like this :)
I’m now more excited to try the mayo with pepperoncini!
After remaining dormant for three years, we finally fired-up our gas barbeque (AKA the ‘barby’). This recipe would work perfect!
It sure would! The recipe title says “grilled” but it’s really not! Actually grilling the chicken would be great!
I LOVE pepperoncini, so I’m drawn to this! Pinch of Yum does have some fabulous recipes! :-) ~Valentina
Yes, she’s a good cook!