I can’t believe this weekend is almost over. It has been a beautiful weekend in Tahoe and is definitely starting to feel like summer. So what is mandatory for a beautiful weekend and lazy (or not so lazy) days? Grilling, of course! This recipe is perfect for any occasion. It is slightly spicy and sweet, and when the skin gets crispy on the chicken, it makes a perfect combination. I wish that I could take credit for this recipe, but I found it online several years ago and have slightly modified it to my preferences since. It is a snap to put together and can be made with lots of different flavor combinations. For example, when I first started making this recipe, I could’t find mango jam anywhere, so I substituted it with apricot and it was just as delicious. Be creative and let your imagination go with lots of different modifications you could make with this recipe.

But, before we get to the recipe, let’s talk running. Last weekend, I struggled through my Sunday long run. I was hot, I had a side-stitch, my phone died (and with it, my GPS and music), and it was just a downright ugly run. I am happy to say though, that today’s long run could not have been any more different. I made sure that my GPS and music was charged the night before, I wore the right clothes for the beautiful weather, and I didn’t get any side-stiches. My run this morning was a beautiful 8 miles and I felt as good as I could pretty much the whole way. I finished my run with a sense of accomplishment and am really looking forward to getting into the double digits soon! Today was definitely a run that I was proud of. Looking back at how far I have come since the beginning of the year, when I could hardly run 2 miles without walking, I am feeling really good about where I am headed. My post about the first step still rings true, and I am so happy that I made that first step and stuck with it. One day at a time, and one foot in front of the other. I have a long ways to go, but I am a heck of a lot closer than I was 4 months ago. Hard work does pay off.

Okay, enough of that. Let’s get to grilling!

Mango Sriracha Glazed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1-2 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
• 2/3 cup mango jam (or whatever other flavor you think might be good)
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons coconut or rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sriracha (I like Sky Valley by Organicville)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Heat up your grill on medium.
2. Combine jam, green onions vinegar, and sriracha in a bowl. Set 1/4 cup of glaze aside for after the chicken is cooked.
3. Brush both sides of the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Brush one side of the chicken with the glaze.
5. Place the chicken, glaze side down, on the grill and reduce heat to medium low. You don’t want to cook the chicken on a hot grill or the glaze will burn. This recipe is best cooked low and slow.
6. After 10 minutes, brush glaze on the other side of the chicken and flip. Repeat this process every 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Before you flip every time, glaze the chicken. Depending the heat of your grill this should take 40-50 minutes.
7. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove and brush with the 1/4 cup glaze that you set aside at the beginning.
8. This is the kind of chicken you eat with your fingers. So grab some paper towels and dig in!

Let me know if you try this recipe with any other variations and what you think. Happy grilling!