Martha Stewart Garlic Marinated Chicken Cutlets With Grilled Potatoes Recipe

Martha Stewart’s Garlic-Marinated Chicken Cutlets with Grilled Potatoes is made with a quick marinade of minced garlic, white-wine vinegar, fresh thyme, and olive oil that coats the cutlets for as little as 10 minutes before they hit a high-heat grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The potatoes cook in foil packets on the grill at the same time, and everything lands on one big platter with grilled asparagus and a simple vinaigrette.

This is one of Martha Stewart’s best grilled chicken recipes for feeding a crowd in summer. I have made this Martha Stewart chicken recipe for groups as big as 14 people and it scales easily because the marinade takes seconds to whisk and the cutlets cook so fast. If you need a Martha Stewart chicken dish that works as a backyard dinner and still gives you leftovers for tomorrow, this is the one.

Try More Dinner Recipes:

• Grilled Chicken With Eggplant And Mozzarella
• Grilled Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
• Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken

Why You Will Love These Garlic Chicken Cutlets:

• The marinade is 10 minutes, not overnight: Garlic, vinegar, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper whisked together and poured over the cutlets. I let mine sit for about 15 minutes while I get the grill going and wrap the potatoes, and that is plenty of time for the flavor to soak in.
• Everything grills at once: The potato packets go on medium heat first, then you crank the grill to high for the chicken. By the time the cutlets are done, the potatoes are tender. I love recipes where the grill does all the work and the timing just lines up.
• Built for leftovers: Martha designed this recipe so you make extra on purpose. Half the chicken and half the potatoes get set aside for the next day. I use the leftover chicken on sandwiches or over greens with some extra vinaigrette.

When To Grill The Asparagus

This is the one part of the recipe that trips people up, and I completely understand why. Martha lists grilled asparagus in the ingredients but does not include a clear grilling step for it in the directions. After making this recipe several times, here is what I do: I grill the asparagus on the high-heat grill right after the chicken comes off. It only takes 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, and the grill is already hot so there is no extra waiting.

A few people who have made this recipe suggest grilling the asparagus first, before the chicken, which also works. Either way, you want it charred in spots but still snappy, not floppy. Once it comes off the grill, I cut it on the diagonal into 1 1/2-inch pieces and toss it with the vinaigrette. If asparagus is not in season, green beans are a great swap. I have done that and nobody complained.

Garlic-Marinated Chicken Cutlets With Grilled Potatoes Ingredients

• 3 pounds baby red new potatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grates
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish if desired
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 pounds chicken cutlets (about 12)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Grilled asparagus, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons vinaigrette

How To Make Martha Stewart Garlic-Marinated Chicken Cutlets With Grilled Potatoes

1. Grill the potatoes: Heat the grill to medium. Fold two 4-foot-long sheets of aluminum foil in half to make two separate double-layer sheets. Place half the potatoes on each double layer. Form two packets, folding foil over potatoes and crimping edges to seal. Place on the grill and cook, turning over once, until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Prep for the next day: Leave the potatoes from one packet wrapped in foil to keep warm. Open the second packet to let the potatoes cool and reserve them for potato salad.
3. Make the marinade: Raise the grill to high and lightly oil the grates. In a large baking dish, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the chicken cutlets and turn several times to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
4. Grill the chicken: Lift the chicken from the marinade and grill until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill. Cover half of the chicken with foil to keep warm. Reserve the other half for grilled chicken cobb salad.
5. Assemble and serve: Remove the warm potatoes from foil and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with butter and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, toss the asparagus with the vinaigrette. Serve the grilled chicken with the buttered potatoes and asparagus. Garnish with thyme sprigs if desired.

Recipe Tips

• Do not over-marinate: Martha says 10 to 30 minutes at room temperature. The vinegar in the marinade is acidic and will start to break down the surface of the cutlets if you leave them too long. I usually hit 15 minutes and that is perfect.
• Crimp the foil packets tightly: If the packets are not sealed well, steam escapes and the potatoes take forever to cook. I fold the edges over twice and press hard. You want those packets to puff up like little pillows on the grill.
• Make the vinaigrette ahead: Martha calls for 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette for the asparagus. I make a simple one with olive oil, white-wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and some pepper. You can also use a store-bought one if you are short on time.
• Double it for a crowd: People who have made this recipe for groups of 10 or more say it scales beautifully. I have doubled the marinade and grilled 6 pounds of cutlets without any issues. The foil packets just need more grill space.

What Goes Well With These Garlic Chicken Cutlets

The potatoes and asparagus are already built into the recipe, so the plate is mostly done. I add a big bowl of potato salad made from the reserved potatoes because Martha clearly designed this recipe with that in mind. A tray of deviled eggs on the table is my go-to for any summer grill dinner because you can make them hours ahead and they always disappear first.

For bread, I always put out a pan of cornbread because it takes no effort and goes with everything on a grill platter. If I have leftover chicken the next day, I slice it thin and pile it on a salad with some of the extra vinaigrette. That was the best work lunch I brought in all summer.

How To Store Leftovers

Martha built leftovers right into this recipe, which I love. Half the chicken and half the potatoes are meant to be saved for the next day. I store the chicken and potatoes in separate airtight containers because the garlic marinade can make the potatoes taste too sharp if they sit together overnight. Everything keeps for 3 to 4 days. The chicken freezes well for up to 2 months since the cutlets are thin and thaw fast.

The leftover chicken is incredible cold on a cobb salad, which is exactly what Martha suggests. I also chop it up and toss it into a wrap with whatever greens I have. To reheat, I warm the cutlets in a hot skillet for about a minute per side just to take the chill off. Microwaving makes them rubbery. The potatoes reheat well in a skillet with a little butter and a sprinkle of salt.

FAQs

• How long should I marinate the chicken? Martha says 10 minutes minimum and up to 30 minutes at room temperature. I usually go about 15 minutes while I am prepping the grill. Do not refrigerate and marinate for hours because the vinegar will start to cook the surface of the chicken and the texture gets mealy.
• Can I swap the asparagus for something else? Green beans are the best swap. I have done it and the flavor still works perfectly with the vinaigrette. You can grill them the same way, about 3 to 4 minutes on high heat, or blanch them quickly in boiling water if you prefer.
• What if I do not want to make food for two days? Martha designed this as a meal prep recipe where you save half for the next day. If you are just cooking for one night, cut everything in half: 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes, 1 1/2 pounds of cutlets, and make one foil packet. I do this all the time when it is just two of us.
• Does this work for a crowd? Absolutely. People have made this for groups of 14 and it scales up easily. The marinade whisks together in seconds, cutlets cook fast, and the foil packets handle themselves on the grill. I just add more foil packets and more grill space.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak
• Tequila Grilled Shrimp
• Grilled Skirt Steak Salad

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 620
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 150mg
• Sodium: 680mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 52g
• Protein: 58g