Looking for a juicy and delicious chicken recipe? I’ve got you covered. This watermelon chicken with balsamic glaze is tender and flavorful – a perfect dinner idea!
This grilled chicken is versatile and easy to make and goes well with a ton of sides: roasted veggies, rice, salad, pasta, extra watermelon, you name it! But I suggest enjoying it with brown rice, grilled zucchini, and a crunchy cucumber, feta, and watermelon salad.
So tasty – I already can’t wait to make it again!
Thank you to my friends at The Watermelon Board for sponsoring this post.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you great content every week!
Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Watermelon Glaze
I love how this recipe turned out! At first, I wasn’t totally sure how the watermelon glaze would thicken up, but thanks to a little cornstarch thickener it turned out perfectly without needing to spend ages over the stovetop reducing it down.
The watermelon glaze is sweet and savory, and coats the chicken really easily on the grill. I bet it would also be tasty on salmon or on dry-rubbed ribs, too!
The chicken also got a quick marinade, which helped keep the chicken moist and adds additional flavor. We’ve tested this recipe with boneless and skinless chicken breasts and thighs as well as bone in, skin on chicken thighs and both versions worked beautifully!
Chicken and Balsamic Glaze Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
Ingredients for the chicken:
- chicken (boneless + skinless or skin on – either breasts or thighs!)
- olive oil
- ground cumin
- red pepper flakes (optional, but adds a nice little zing!)
- salt
- lime juice
Ingredients for the glaze:
- watermelon (seedless)
- lime juice
- balsamic vinegar
- cornstarch
- honey
How to Make Grilled Chicken with Watermelon Glaze
Now, let’s talk about how to make this tasty and easy dish!
Obviously the star of this dish is the watermelon – this juicy fruit, while awesome as a refreshing side dish or snack, also makes a really great sauce for protein!
In addition to being delicious, the watermelon also brings some great nutrition to the table – watermelon contains vitamin C and is a source of vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin B6.
1. Start by marinating the chicken
Add the chicken, olive oil, lime juice, red pepper flakes (optional – leave them out if you don’t want spice), cumin and salt in a bowl or a zippable bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken to coat thoroughly.
Allow the chicken to marinate for up to an hour.
Be sure not to skip this step as it adds a lot of flavor to the chicken! The cumin in particular is such an unexpected but delicious flavor combination with the watermelon glaze.
While waiting for the chicken to marinate, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. (You can also use a countertop electric grill, like a George Foreman, or simply cook the chicken in a pan on the stove.)
2. Prep the glaze
Start preparing the glaze by combining all the glaze ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour the blended ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil at high heat. Reduce to medium and simmer until slightly thickened.
This should take about 5-7 minutes, and when it’s ready the glaze should be the same consistency as maple syrup or melted honey.
Note: you can prepare the glaze 2-3 days in advance and store in the fridge.
3. Grill & baste the chicken
Next, place the chicken on the preheated grill. Cover and grill!
After 5-7 minutes, flip the chicken and brush generously with the glaze. Cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Brush with more glaze, then continue grilling until the chicken is cooked through. It should reach 165 degrees – probably about 2-3 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
Lastly, remove the chicken and let sit for several minutes before serving. Brush with extra glaze or serve some on the side for dipping!
So there you have it: how to make the tastiest watermelon chicken with balsamic glaze! Matt and I both loved this dish – it’s so flavorful and juicy, and so easy to prep and cook, too. Even our toddler Riese really loved it – she kept asking for more (we left the red pepper flakes out when she helped us test it)!
You’ll find the full recipe at the bottom of this post. Enjoy, and if you make it, please let me know how you like it. 🙂
Looking for more tasty watermelon recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Sesame Shrimp and Watermelon Salad
- Watermelon Mojito Sorbet
- Fall Harvest Salad with Watermelon
- Pickled Watermelon Rind (Two Ways)
- Chicken Gyros with Watermelon Rind Tzatziki
- Watermelon Rosemary Popsicles
- Watermelon Rind Curry
- Roasted Salmon with Watermelon Salsa
- Watermelon Rind Gazpacho
- Watermelon Rind Coleslaw
Watermelon Lime Glazed Grilled Chicken with Balsamic
This juicy watermelon chicken with balsamic glaze is tender and flavorful. A perfect dinner idea!
Ingredients:
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken (breasts or thighs, skinless or skin on!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1 lime
For the glaze:
- 2 cups diced seedless watermelon
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Combine chicken, olive oil, lime juice, red pepper flakes, cumin, and salt in a bowl or ziploc bag. Massage to coat the chicken. Allow to marinate for up to 1 hour.
- While the chicken is marinating, preheat a grill to medium-high heat and prepare the glaze.
- Combine all glaze ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes. It should be the consistency of maple syrup or melted honey. *The glaze can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Place chicken on the preheated grill. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and brush generously with the glaze. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Brush with more glaze, then continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 165 degrees, about 2-3 more minutes depending on size.
- Remove chicken from the grill and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Brush with additional glaze or serve extra on the side for dipping.
Notes:
The glaze can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, if desired.
