I created the relish in this recipe for Bon Appetit a few years ago and have since enjoyed it about a zillion different ways—spooned over chicken, yes, but also on steaks and salmon, on burgers and BLTs, on roasted potatoes and grilled zucchini. You can even mix it with a little sour cream for a Latin-feeling dip that makes a nice change of pace from guacamole. All that and more, with just a simple-few ingredients. Trust me—it’s a good thing to have around. (For more ways to revel in summer corn, plus tips for buying and storing it, read this post.)
As for the chicken, this recipe roasts it, but you can also pan-roast it, grill it, or really, cook it however works for you. You could even substitute other chicken parts if you prefer.
Serves 4
- Four 7- to 8-ounce chicken breasts, with or without skin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- About 1 cup Lemon-Lime, Corn, and Jalapeno Relish (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and brush both sides with the olive oil, then sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper. Rearrange the chicken so its skin- or skinned-side up and bake until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
Arrange the chicken on plates or a platter and spoon the relish on top. Serve any remaining relish at the table.
Lemon-Lime, Corn, and Jalapeno Relish
Makes about 1 2/3 cups
1 ear of corn
2 limes
1 lemon
1/2 cup stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped jalapenos (see note)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, ideally a fruity one
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Cut the kernels from the corn (you should have about 1 cup) and put them in a medium bowl.
Use a vegetable peeler to cut the colored part of the peel from the limes and lemon. Cut the peel crosswise into tiny matchsticks and add them to the bowl. Stir in the the jalapeno, olive oil, and salt, then refrigerate overnight to let the flavors meld.
Return to room temperature before serving.
NOTE This will be 2 to 4 jalapenos, depending on their size. And don’t worry about the mixture being too spicy—between the sweetness of the corn and the softening effect of the olive oil, it’s only a mild warmth.
