I am pretty picky about the meat we include in our meals. High quality is important, as is finding meat that is free of added hormones, antibiotics and steroids. So I was excited when I got the opportunity to work on this article with NatureRaised Farms®, which provides farm-to-table vegetarian-fed chicken with no added "stuff." I was also surprised to learn that NatureRaised Farms®, chicken was available at Sam's Club!
My local Sam’s Club had a demo station with NatureRaised Farms All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs that I was eager to check out. The first fun element of the day was a wonderfully artistic chalk drawing on the sidewalk outside of Sam's Club:
The demo stations are the best things about Sam's Club, as we all know.
But I have to say -- the price caught my eye before the product even did. $3.99/lb for all-natural chicken is a fantastic deal. Plus, prepared with peppers and onions, the chicken tasted moist (I cannot stand dry chicken) and delicious.
I ended up purchasing a package of NatureRaised Farms All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs from the fresh meat section, along with some fresh corn, a few staples and a box of biscuit mix to create a delicious farm-to-table style summer grill menu.
I started with carefully washing the corn -- husks on -- and then gently opening the corn husks to tear away the silk strands inside without removing the husk altogether. Put the husk back in place, and soak the corn in a pot of water for about 10-15 minutes (some people add a tsp of salt to enhance flavor. I personally don't notice a difference but it's an option!). This helps get the corn ready for grilling as it will retain moisture better. Leave the corn in the husks throughout the grilling process.
I then created a sauce for the chicken using the juice of a fresh lime, 1 tbs of apple cider vinegar, about 1/2 cup of honey. You mix all of those ingredients into a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally and watching for it to thin out but not bubble or burn. Remove the sauce from the heat once it's ready and allow it to cool a bit.
I also threw together a spice rub with a few pinches of garlic salt, cumin, black pepper and cinnamon.
The chicken is already trimmed of most of the fat, and it's boneless, so no prep is needed there! Rub a bit of olive oil onto the chicken, and then rub the spice mixture into the chicken pieces. This will allow the flavor to soak right in.
Put the corn on the grill; grilling time is about 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so to get the corn evenly cooked. The chicken goes directly on the grill. Cook for 5-8 minutes and flip over. At this point, you'll need that sauce you made. Brush it on the grilled side, and cook for 5-8 minutes longer. Flip again, brush the other cooked side, and then let cook for about another minute. The time will vary depending on how hot your grill is, whether you use charcoal or gas, and how thick the chicken pieces are, so always be sure to check for doneness.
We are total suckers at my house for those cheesy rolls that Red Lobster gives you, and wouldn't you know it, Sam's Club sells the mix to make 'em yourself! Super easy -- just add cheddar cheese (we grabbed reduced-fat shredded from Sam's) and brush on butter mixed with their seasoning mix after the biscuits bake.
The result is a delicious plate that is easy to put together, simple to scale up no matter how many people you are having over, and perfectly captures the essence of a summer meal. We had a few fresh plums as a dessert -- also purchased at Sam's -- but a certain toddler duo scarfed them up before they could make it into a photo :)
If you try it -- and you should -- let us know how it went! Or share your favorite summer grill ideas below!
