Grilled Chicken with Cashew Dipping Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Tips: To add more tanginess to the sauce, 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar may be added.
Suggestion: Delicious served with Balsamic Grilled Vegetables, Grilled Corn or any other vegetable side and rolls, such as soft and sweet Hawaiian style rolls.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 1/3 cups chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon mashed or minced prune
- pinch of ground saffron (optional)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Directions
Preheat [indoor or outdoor] grill to medium heat.
In a food processor, combine cashews, cilantro, garlic, green onions, sugar, pepper and cumin. Mix with short bursts until well blended.
In a saucepan over low-medium heat, combine vinegars, honey, prune and saffron. Heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. (Alternatively, ingredients can be heated in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute.) Stir mixture, then pour into a blender. Transfer cashew mixture from the food processor to the blender and mix with the honey and vinegar mixture using short bursts until well combined (about 20 seconds). Pour the blended sauce into a bowl, then add oil and stir by hand until thoroughly blended.
Place 1 cup of the sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator to save for dipping. Brush chicken pieces with some of the remaining sauce, then place chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, brushing again as needed to keep chicken moist. (Important: Discard any remaining sauce that has been in contact with the brush used to baste chicken.) Serve basted grilled chicken with the refrigerated cashew sauce on the side for dipping (refrigerated sauce may be reheated briefly until warm, if desired).
In a food processor, combine cashews, cilantro, garlic, green onions, sugar, pepper and cumin. Mix with short bursts until well blended.
In a saucepan over low-medium heat, combine vinegars, honey, prune and saffron. Heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. (Alternatively, ingredients can be heated in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute.) Stir mixture, then pour into a blender. Transfer cashew mixture from the food processor to the blender and mix with the honey and vinegar mixture using short bursts until well combined (about 20 seconds). Pour the blended sauce into a bowl, then add oil and stir by hand until thoroughly blended.
Place 1 cup of the sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator to save for dipping. Brush chicken pieces with some of the remaining sauce, then place chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, brushing again as needed to keep chicken moist. (Important: Discard any remaining sauce that has been in contact with the brush used to baste chicken.) Serve basted grilled chicken with the refrigerated cashew sauce on the side for dipping (refrigerated sauce may be reheated briefly until warm, if desired).