Labor Day Recipe: Peruvian Chicken Salad with Grilled Veggies

What better way to enjoy veggies in the summertime but on the grill? In this recipe, we combined an assortment of vegetables along with Peruvian-style roasted chicken promoting both good health and great flavor.

Chicken Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons white wine or chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons canola  or vegetable oil
• 2 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, juiced
• cold water (enough to cover chicken)

Veggie Ingredients

• 3-4 ears fresh corn, husked
• 1 large red onion, cut into disks about  ⅓  inch thick
• 1 large red bell pepper
• ½  cup extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
• 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 – 15 ½  ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup queso fresco or feta, crumbled (optional)
• ¼  cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoonschopped fresh oregano

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, wine, oil with garlic powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix well to form a paste.
2. Add lemon juice to cold water. Trim chicken of any excess or loose fat. Wash chicken thoroughly with lemon water.
3. Place chicken in a plastic seal bag. Pour savory paste over chicken. Coat chicken completely with mixture rubbing into every surface. Seal bag and place chicken in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat one side of grill. Place chicken on the side in which the grill is not turned on and grill for approximately 1 ½ hours turning half way.
5. While chicken is cooling, prepare veggies by placing corn, onion, and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons of  olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Grill the corn and onion, flipping occasionally, until beginning to brown (the onions should still be a little crunchy), 8 to 10 minutes. The pepper will take slightly longer, about 12 minutes.  Grill until charred on all sides. Transfer veggies to a cutting board to cool slightly and put the pepper in a bowl, cover, and cool slightly.
7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk ¼ cup of olive oil, adobo sauce, vinegar, 1 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoons pepper.
8. In a large serving bowl, shred chicken. Coarsely chop the onion, cut the corn from the cobs and add to bowl with chicken.
9. Skin, seed, and coarsely chop the pepper; add to the bowl, along with the beans, cheese, cilantro, and oregano.
10. Re-whisk the dressing, add it to the chicken and corn mixture, and toss well.  (Marinate chicken 1 day ahead and prepare salad day of). Just as delicious cold or room temperature.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish.