Grilled Chicken With Tomatoes and Corn

By Ali Slagle

Updated August 4, 2022

  • A light blue oval platter holds grilled chicken with tomatoes, red onion and corn with a fork and spoon set for serving.
    Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,692)
Comments
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While you could rest grilled chicken on a cutting board to ensure the juices don’t run out of the meat when it’s sliced, a more delicious option is to place the chicken on a pile of tomatoes, corn and red onion. The seasoned drippings act as a no-effort warm dressing, bolstering the flavor of the vegetables and softening their raw edges. Before grilling, the chicken is rubbed with chili powder, the spice mix that typically includes dried oregano, garlic, onion, cumin and ground chiles, for complex flavor with minimal effort. Fresh oregano, while optional, emphasizes the herbs in the chili powder. Use this technique of resting grilled proteins on fresh produce for many summer dinners: pork chops on peaches, steak on chopped scallions and ginger, sausages on radicchio and halloumi on citrus.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the grill grates

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 ½ pounds large ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced

  • 1 ear of corn, kernels cut from the cob (about 1 cup kernels)

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

17 grams carbs; 160 milligrams cholesterol; 371 calories; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 934 milligrams sodium; 37 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, coat the chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the chili powder and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside. (You can do this step up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate and bring to room temperature before cooking.)

  2. Step 2

    On a large platter, layer the tomatoes, corn kernels, red onion and fresh oregano (if using). Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

  3. Step 3

    When ready to grill, clean the grates with a grill brush, then lightly grease the grates. Grill the chicken until browned and cooked through, and it releases easily from the grates, 5 to 7 minutes per side. (If flare-ups occur, move the chicken to an area of the grill with smaller flames underneath. For a gas grill, close the lid between flips, listening and peeking occasionally for flare-ups.)

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the chicken to the platter. Let rest for 5 to 20 minutes before serving.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,692 user ratings
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Comments

T Solo

Corn cooked or raw?

monika vail

where is the love? Yes a basic recipe but sooo delicious! No fresh oregano, no problem - basil, thyme or even good ol parsley to the rescue. No fresh RAW corn, ok, canned is always delicious too! Don't forget to add a bit of mayo to chicken marinade and it will never be dry! TRUST!

Pfeiffdoc

Per the NYT article the corn is left uncooked but blanched or grilled would work well too. This is one of those very flexible recipes that allows the cook to modify based on ingredients on hand/ garden herbs available.

Karen

Whenever I grill chicken thighs or breasts I add some mayonnaise to the marinade which seems to keep the meat juicier. I added fresh lime to both the marinade and the vegetables. This is one of our favorite summer dinners.

Karenska

This is now our go-to summer protein salad. We have a lot happening in the garden and the farmers market so there are many variations possible (but fresh tomatoes is essential). We made as written but with basil and pickled red onions, then the next time with flap steak over baby spinach, chickpeas, tomatoes, onions and grilled zucchini. I might add a sprinkle of feta next time too. Beautiful.

SDDubya

Really delicious with summer fresh produce. A little vinegar drizzled on the salad just before adding the chicken helps a lot. I think I will also start using pickled shallots instead of the red onion, for a little lively pop.

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