Grilled Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes

By pamdabear3383

Ingredients

• 12 oz cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil*
• 2 (12-oz) bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts, trimmed
• *Cilantro or tarragon can be substituted for the basil.

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

1. Toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp of the oil, then thread them onto two or three 12-inch metal skewers through the stem ends. Mix the remaining 3 tbsp oil, vinegar, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper together in a small bowl, then stir in the basil and set aside for serving.

2. Open the bottom grill vents completely. Light a large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes). When the coals are hot, spread an even layer over half the grill, leaving the other half empty. Set the cooking grate in place, cover, and open the lid vents completely. Heat the grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

3. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts on the hot part of the grill and cook until browned on both sides, 6 to 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. (If flare-ups occur, slide the chicken breasts to the cooler part of the grill and mist the fire with water from a spray bottle.)

4. Slide the chicken breasts, skin-side down, to the cooler part of the grill, with the thicker side of the breasts facing the hotter part of the grill. Tent the chicken breasts loosely with foil, cover the grill, and continue cooking until the thickest part of the breasts registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 25 minutes longer.

5. Return the chicken breast to the hotter part of the grill and cook until well browned on both sides and the thickest part of the breasts registers 160 to 165 degrees, 6 to 10 minutes longer, flipping them halfway through cooking. Transfer the chicken breasts to a serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest.

6. Place the skewered tomatoes on the hotter part of the grill and cook until the skins begin to blister and wrinkle, 3 to 6 minutes, turning the skewers as needed. Remove the skewers from the grill and carefully slide the tomatoes off the skewers and onto the platter with the chicken breasts. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the platter and serve.

Gas-Grilled variation:
Follow the recipe through step 1. Turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave the primary burner on high and turn off the other burner(s). Proceed with recipe from step 3.