The sun is shining. The air is fresh. Suddenly, you’re hungry…

What’s a great chicken dinner idea for summer that is sure to satisfy, and is both crispy and juicy? 

Chicken thighs with a cool and crunchy cucumber salad!

What makes your chicken even snappier? The flavor of delicious bacon jam!

TBJ Gourmet has bacon lovers covered with their delicious varieties of bacon jams. Try their Family Variety Pack out for size to experience three of their original bacon jam flavors. 

Using these specialty jams in your spicy chicken marinade adds amazing extra flavor to your chicken thighs. 

Just simply brush bacon jam onto your chicken thighs and cover overnight in an airtight container or gallon size ziplock bag. 

You can also brush the bacon jam on just before grilling chicken legs or thighs. Either way, it’ll be delicious. 

What To Serve With Grilled Chicken Thighs

Perfect chicken needs perfect side dishes!

There are many options to pair with your boneless grilled chicken thighs. Here are some summer-y suggestions:

• Sweet potato fries
• Tabbouleh
• Brussels sprouts with pancetta
• Lemon zoodles
• Caesar Salad
• Watermelon salad with feta
• Baked beans and smashed red potatoes

One fancy chicken side dish that is popping up in all of the best establishments is a crispy cucumber salad. 

A cucumber salad is perfect on even the hottest of days as an addition to your dinner. It cools you down while enjoying a summer meal in your backyard, or a picnic on the go! 

TBJ Gourmet suggests this grilled boneless skinless chicken thigh recipe with cucumber salad below. 

The Recipe

Here is a delicious recipe for you to try, adapted by TBJ from Food and Wine.

Gourmet Ingredients

• 6 skin-on, boneless chicken thighs (2 pounds), pounded 1/2 inch thick 
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• Kosher salt 
• Pepper 
• ½ cup TBJ Gourmet Balsamic Fig Bacon Jam (did I mention how delicious chicken with fig and bacon jam is?)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot 
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion  
• 1 small Fresno or red jalapeño chile, thinly sliced 
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint, plus whole leaves for garnish 
• 3 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted almonds 

Directions

1. Light your grill. Rub the chicken thighs with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the TBJ Gourmet Balsamic Fig Bacon Jam. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. 
2. Arrange the chicken skin side down on direct heat on the grill and top with a sheet of foil and a weighted heavy baking sheet. 
3. How long to grill chicken thighs? Grill the chicken over moderate heat until the skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes. 
4. Turn the chicken skin side up, top with the foil and weighted baking sheet and grill for 3 minutes longer. Remove the baking sheet. 
5. Turn the chicken skin side down once more and grill until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to plates.
6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar with the shallot and garlic and gradually whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil until well blended. 
7. Add the cucumber, onion, chile and chopped mint and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

*If you’d rather, you can also use the oil and fig jam as a thigh marinade the night before.

The Finish

Present your Grilled Bacon Jam chicken thighs with your cucumber salad on a beautiful center dish for your table, or serve it on individual plates for your family and guests.

Slice your chicken with bacon jam thighs with a freshly sharpened knife on an angle. Toss the chicken with the cucumber salad. You can add a festive garnish with the nuts and mint leaves.

Add small bowls on the side of extra bacon jam sauces for dipping! 

This perfect summer dinner also makes great left-overs! Keep your extra chicken pieces and remaining cucumber salad fresh in separate sealed containers in your fridge to enjoy the next day. 

Bon Apétit!

*For more flavored bacon recipes like this bacon jam chicken, or to buy bacon jam, visit TBJ Gourmet.