There’s been so much tasty goodness this summer.  This was another popular food porn shot receiving multiple recipe requests.  The tangy lime dressing is so refreshing with the watermelon.

This is a great example of how you can turn a salad into a meal by combining it with a protein, in this case, a foolproof (always juicy, never dried-out and rubbery)  grilled chipotle-lime chicken recipe from Cooks Illustrated (subscription required)

I’m trying to eat more greens, so I tend to always have clamshells of organic arugula or mixed greens in the fridge.  A handful goes on the plate first, and then I just lay the salad on top

Watermelon Feta & Mint Salad with Chipotle-Lime Grilled Chicken

• Make ahead: the grilled chicken (I make a huge double batch and use it throughout the week, good for 4 days in the fridge and much longer in freezer )
• Prep time: 15 minutes for watermelon salad, 1 hour for the grilled chicken
• Serves 4
• Ingredients:
  • Chicken (for each 1.5-2 lbs of skinless chicken breasts)
    • Marinade: whisk together 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice, 1 tsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 3 cloves minces garlic.
    • Sauce (this sauce is awesome, and perfect if you’re having the chicken by itself, otherwise you can omit for this recipe): whisk together 3 Tbsp EVOO, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp minced chipotle chile, 2 Tbsp  cilantro leaves, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  •  Dressing
    • 1/2 cup mint leaves
    • 1 serrano chile (seeded and minced) or 1/2 tsp red chile flakes
    • 1 Tbsp  honey
    • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp lime juice
    • 3 Tbsp EVOO
    • Salt & pepper
  • Salad
    • 1/4 cup mint leaves
    • Seedless watermelon about 3lb, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
    • 6 oz feta crumbled
• Preparation
  • Charcoal grill: if using (you can also broil the chicken if you’re in a hurry), fill and light the chimney starter,  then make a two level fire – all charcoal on 1 side.
    • I like using smoker chips.  Add 1 cup of Hickory chips to 2 cups of water before starting the grill (they need about 30 minutes of soaking).  Add to the charcoal after its gone white, then add the grate back in
  • Chicken:
    • Make the marinade and pour into a gallon size zip-loc freezer bag
    • Add the chicken and massage around, squeeze out the air, seal the bag and put in the fridge for 15 minutes (I usually do this after starting the grill)
    • After 15 minutes flip the bag, and leave for another 15 minutes (total of 30 minutes)
    • Use a wad of paper towels with oil on them to grease the grate just prior to adding the chicken to the side withOUT the coals.
    • Grill 5-7 minutes each side on the cool side with the lid on (until chicken goes white, maybe some minor brown marks)
    • Move chicken to the hot side (where the coals are) and add some color (grill marks) about 2 minutes each side
    • Use an instant read thermometer (you’re good once it reads 135 degrees in the thickest part, and get it off straight away if you’ve topped 150! If you’re using a broiler, you’ll just need to watch it, plan on around 5-9 minutes each side)
    • Cover with foil and let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes
  • Dressing:
    • Put all dressing ingredients (remember to save 1/4 cup mint leaves for garnish!)  in a blender, buzz, taste, add more chile, lime, salt or pepper to taste
  • Salad:
    • Toss the watermelon with the dressing up to 30 minutes before serving
    • Add the feta and grilled chicken and toss lightly
  • Plating
    • Lay down some arugula, then place salad on top to desired portion size.

Enjoy!