The beauty of this dish is its variety of textures and flavors. Each bite takes you on a journey. The marinade lightly infuses the chicken with a bright brininess and tenderizes the meat, so it’s juicy and fork-tender. Meanwhile, the crispy rice offers a bit of crunch and tones down the sweet-salty-sour flavor punch of the Cherry Tomato-Nectarine Pickle Salad, so it isn’t overwhelming or mouth-puckering.
“I wouldn’t have thought of this flavor combination, but I’m really loving it,” my husband said, going for seconds. We couldn’t get enough of it.
Though, admittedly, my daughter is in a bit of a beige foods phase, and she wasn’t as enthusiastic about part of the meal.
“Sour salad isn’t my jam,” my six-year-old said. (She isn’t a pickle or cherry tomato person, so this was a hard sell from the start.) The chicken and crispy rice, however, were a surprise hit, even from the dill-despiser: “I love the chicken. Can I have more?”
Days later, my husband and I were still raving about the meal—and how it broke us out from our dinner rut. I may trade out the veggies for my kids, but the pickle-brined chicken is definitely part of our permanent rotation (and you better believe I’ll be making the salad again for myself—and for future dinner parties). Just don’t skimp on the Ayoh.
