Sometimes the Accidental Locavore truly is accidentally local. Such is the case with one of my all-time favorite marinades for chicken. It’s something I picked up ages ago at, of all places, Restoration Hardware, which then stopped carrying it (might have been the end of the season). Finally, this spring, I decided to see if it was possible to find it online and of course, there it was. It’s called Chiavetta’s Barbeque Marinade and it turns out to be from western New York State.
Chiavetta’s is a very simple, vinegar-based marinade and it’s fabulous on chicken! The label says it’s “excellent with beef, poultry, lamb, pork and vegetables,” but frankly, I’ve never graduated past chicken. This may sound crazy, but an added benefit to it is that it doesn’t have to be refrigerated (if you ever saw my fridge, you would completely understand why), so buying a huge bottle and paying for shipping starts to make sense.
With a good chicken, cut into pieces, an overnight bath in Chiavetta’s, a leisurely grilling over charcoal and dinner is ready. Add an ear or two of corn (also grilled) and some tomatoes in a salad and that’s all I need to make me happy in the summer (well, maybe some ice cream for dessert if you really want to make it a home run)! Leftovers, if there are any, are great topping a salad for lunch the next day, or just eaten cold. I’ve never tried making chicken salad with them, but would imagine it would be pretty good, as would be a classic club sandwich.
The other day we had some lovely purplettes (purple spring onions) from our CSA, so I tossed them in some olive oil, Maldon salt and pepper and threw them on the grill with my marinated chicken. It was almost enough to make me forget that corn and tomatoes were still a few weeks away. What’s your favorite way to grill chicken?
Really cold and really snowy! You forgot icy 🙂
Chiavetta’s is indeed the bomb…But stop giving away all the things that make Western NY a hidden jewel…all people from other places need to know is that Buffalo is cold and snowy…all the time. 😉
Thanks for this, Anne! We’ve shared to our Facebook page. We’re glad you were able to find us! And for the record, the cold chicken does make an excellent chicken salad. My grandmother used to make us sandwiches for tailgating before Buffalo Bills games. We are a four-generation family operation, and have been in business for 60 years. I’m glad you like our product.
Delish!