GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST WITH CILANTRO-LIME BUTTER

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST WITH CILANTRO-LIME BUTTER image

Categories Chicken

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Cilantro-Lime Butter:
6 tablespoons softened butter
1 small lime
s small shallot
3 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chicken and Marinade:
2 whole split chicken breast with wings, skin and bones (about 1 1/2 pounds)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 medium lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

Steps:

For the cilantro-lime butter, cream the butter. Grate 1/2 teaspoon zest and squeeze 1 1/2 teaspoons juice from the lime. Beat zest and juice into the butter. Peel, mince and stir in the shallot. Stir in the cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into 1 inch logs, set aside. (can refrigerate butter overnight or freeze up to 1 month) For chicken marinade, remove the top two thirds of each chicken wing (can reserve for stock) leaving the segment nearest the breast meat attached. Cut off the knobby wing joints and scrape around the bones. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon slat and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Squeeze 2 tablespoons lime juice into a nonreactive baking dish. Stir in oil and cilantro and turn to coat each side of chicken breast in the marinade. Set chicken aside at room temperture for 2 hours. (can cover and refrigerate overnight) Cooking: If the cilantro-lime butter has been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature. Heat a grill or adjust oven rack to high position and heat broiler. Grill or broil the chicken breast until the juices run clear, when pierced in the thickest part of the breast, turning once, about 7-8 minutes per side. Serving: Transfer chicken breast to warm dinner plates and top each with a tablespoon of herb butter.