BBQ Chicken Breast with Black Bean Sauce

I'll be heading to Milwaukee tomorrow and I'm confused as to why I am packing winter coats and boots when it's 65 degrees and sunny in California. Luckily, there's a couple things that bring the warm feeling in and remind us that a pool, an iced beverage, and some good BBQ are only a month or two or three away; Here's to hoping. 

I've never been a huge fan of Barbecuing. I usually push that job off to a man or pull out the grill pan. Admittedly, without the help of my Dad I had never actually BBQ'd myself.
I'd seen it done in Cooking School many times but I'd never been assigned/volunteered for the task so I had to be sure that my first time on the grill wasn't going to be in "Final Week". For great BBQ all you need is 

1. A great BBQ Sauce
2. Hot HOT grill
3. Grill Marks, Turn the Chicken a quarter turn to achieve that cross hatch pattern. 

My attempt was a success and I give all credit to the recipe.  I modified it from my textbook, 'The Professional Chef' for health/slim reasons. It's perfect. Every last bit of this meal disappeared before i could think about snapping a picture. 

I served this with the beans and a salad. 

BBQ Chicken Breast with Black Bean Sauce

Chicken Marinade

4 oz. Apple Sauce

3 oz. water 

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 oz minced shallot

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp cracked black peppercorns

Chicken

6 boneless skinless 

Salt

Pepper

16 oz BBQ Sauce

20 oz Black Bean Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in hotel pan. Add the chicken and turn to coat it evenly. Marinate the chicken, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. 

2. Preheat the grill or broiler. Drain excess marinade from the chicken; blot dry if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Place the chicken presentation side down on the grill rods or up on the broiler rods. Grill or broil undisturbed for about 2 minutes. (Give the breasts a quarter turn for grill marks)

4. Brush with the bbq sauce and turn the chicken over. Continue to cook the chicken, brushing with bbq sauce, until the chicken is cooked through, 6-to 8 minutes. (165' F)

5. Serve the chicken on heated plates with the black bean sauce. 

Black Bean Sauce

1 can of black beans

8 oz. chicken stock

2 tsp olive oil

4 oz diced onion

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne or chopped jalapeno

Salt (as needed)

Ground Black Pepper (as needed)

1 Tbsp Tomato Paste

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Sherry Vinegar (i forgot this)

1. In a medium saucepan, add the oil, onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, jalapeños  Saute over medium heat, stirring, until onions are limp and translucent, 6-8 minutes. 

2. Add drained beans and chicken stock to sautéed vegetables and heat all ingredients thoroughly . Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more. 

3. Puree 1/3 of the beans. Add tomato paste and puree until smooth. Season with lemon juice and vinegar. 

4. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sauce is ready to serve now, or may be rapidly cooled and refrigerated for later use. 

BBQ Sauce (in a blender)

6 oz. ketchup

4 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp water

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

3/4 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp dijon

dash of cayenne

Place all ingredients in a blender and combine. Sauce can be stored for 3 weeks. (salt if necessary)

We ate it with quinoa and a sweet potato. Ryan gobbled it all up. soo good. This book is too good. Love you!