Dry-Brined Chicken Breast w/ Snap Peas, Avocado, & Charred Scallion Salsa Verde

It is hot as hell in the great state of Texas which means I almost exclusively want to eat cold things. This salad hits all the notes I want on a plate during this time – crunchy, refreshing, spicy, satisfying without being too heavy.

I did a version of this dish pictured at the top of my Recipe page for a poolside dinner last year. This time, I made this Dry-Brined Chicken Breast with Snap Peas, Avocado, and Charred Scallion Salsa Verde for a sweet little date night with my girlfriend. Add in surprise sunflowers accompanied by a little poem (so gay, I know) and a couple glasses of rosé, and this meal was absolutely perfect. 

A note about chicken breast – I was a hater. I admit it. My argument was this: Why use chicken breast when you could use chicken thighs? I still feel that way most of the time, but this dry-brining method I learned at the restaurant made me a convert. Now, chicken breast must be treated with care because its leanness makes it very unforgiving to overcooking. You can help temper this by using bone-in, skin-on, but I couldn’t find any at the store so this recipe uses boneless, skinless. 

An additional note on chicken breast – Because it can be so easily overcooked, I would prefer you cut into the breast and check if it’s done rather than being driven by fear and cooking it to death. Alternatively, you can use an instant read thermometer. Pull the chicken from the heat when it reaches 160°F and let it rest until it reaches 165°F. When done right, chicken breast is juicy and delicate. It lends itself well to an oil-based sauce like this Charred Scallion Salsa Verde because it doesn’t get too greasy.

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breast (about 4 medium breasts)
8 ounces sugar snap peas cut on a sharp bias (yields about 3 cups)
2 small or 1 large avocado
2-3 red Thai chilies, thinly sliced (I used these for the color contrast and heat level, but any fresh chili will work)

DRY BRINE
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flake
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

SALSA VERDE
1 bunch scallions
1 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 cup tender herbs, chopped, such as parsley, basil, mint, cilantro, Thai basil, or dill
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Salt to taste

Combine dry brine ingredients and sprinkle liberally over all sides of chicken breasts. Let sit in the fridge for up to 5 hours. 

Preheat a cast iron pan over high heat. Cut each scallion in half separating whites from greens. Char in dry pan until blackened, removing greens after about 3 minutes and whites after about 6 minutes. You want color, but the greens especially have a tendency to get dry and papery so keep an eye and turn them frequently. Thinly slice scallions and combine with olive oil and garlic. Once completely cool, stir in herbs, lime zest, lime juice, and salt the salsa verde to taste. 

Rinse excess brine off of chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat a cast iron pan to medium-high heat. Add about a tablespoon of neutral oil and sear breasts two at a time so as not to overcrowd the pan. Depending on the thickness of the breasts, cook about 4 minutes per side. For thicker cuts, add a splash of water at the end of cooking, cover, and let cook an additional minute. Remove from the pan and let rest while you assemble the plates. 

Divide snap peas among plates (or put all of them on a serving platter). Using a spoon, scoop out swooshes (refer to picture, sorry) of avocado and scatter on top of snap peas. Spoon across some salsa verde. Once the chicken has rested, slice each breast and arrange. Top with more salsa verde and garnish generously with Thai chilies.