Red Chili Grilled Chicken

I have a confession to make:  My friend Ruben taught me how to make tamales.  (hehehe) Oh, I know that might not float a lot of boats...but I think it was truly one of the most wonderful experiences I have had in the kitchen :)  I will share that recipe.. or at least the technique.. with you, but it's going to have to wait a bit.  Talk about a labor intensive project! Whew...  Anyway, my real reasoning for going to his house and helping him with tamales was completely selfish- I wanted his red chili recipe!!  Oh, don't be so appalled, he totally knew that was my reason!!

Let me just say.. his red chili was fantastic!  Not only did he give me a little of the leftover product, he also gave me a bit of the red chili sauce - which is actually very simple to make!!

Here's what you do:  take some dried chilis, hot or mild, stem and seeds removed.  Throw them in a pot and cover with water - add 1 whole peeled garlic clove - bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Allow to cool a bit.  Add chilis to a blender and pulse - add enough of the boil water or broth to make a nice thick sauce.  Viola!

Now, jazz it up a bit and marinate some chicken.. and you have a fantastic week night meal.  And isn't the color just incredible????  Oh, and you know I just HAD to have a little creamy sauce to go with it... mmmmmmmmm!!!

Red Chili Grilled Chicken
Created by Jenn's Food Journey (with help from Rube, of course)
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup red chili sauce (dried red chilis, cover with water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, blend with boiled water or broth)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional)

Directions:
In a bowl, mix together the chili sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano.  Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the sauce (if making sauce).  Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pour the remaining sauce over it.  Seal and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Meanwhile, mix reserved sauce with mayonnaise until well combined.  Taste for seasoning (I added just a tad bit of cayenne just to give it a bit more kick and a drop of lemon juice).  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F and oil the grill grates.  Remove chicken from marinade and place directly over the fire.  Grill 5-10 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove and allow to rest for 3 minutes.  Serve with sauce if desired.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Chickamauga Chicken
Two Years Ago:  Beef Empanadas