This right here, is what summer is all about. I mean, yes it’s about the flip flops and drippy popsicles and tanlines (you should see my baby boy’s farmer’s tan, it is real nice…) but apart from the family summertime activities, summer grilling just might be the thing I look forward to the most. When people find out that I cook A LOT – even when they don’t know I’m a food blogger – they almost always ask me this question… “what is something really easy and delicious I can whip up when I get home from work??” And when I blush a little and say dump some marinade in a bag with some chicken and then grill it up, their minds are blown like it had never occurred to them do that and I’m sitting here thinking really??!? We LIVE on marinated grilled chicken in the summertime. Well all year round really. But especially in the warmer months. This is my most recent marinated-chicken-dinner-recipe and I instantly fell in love with the big bold flavors from this new Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Single Use Marinade. The whole sandwich came together and it was like heaven in my mouth. Even my husband kept saying how amazing it was. And then it hit me that instead of grilling burgers for our family 4th of July party, let’s do these Brown Sugar Bourbon Chicken & Mushroom Melts instead!!! The husband was on board and the rest is history. These beauties are on the menu and there’s no going back now. We are heading to the Oregon coast right after July 4th with my in laws for a family vacay and I am ridiculously excited for a whole week in a house on the beach. We divided up dinner responsibilities per family, like we usually do, and I called dibs on burgers right off the bat but we ditched that plan after trying these sandwiches – they’re just too good not to be shared, and way too good not to have on REPEAT for the rest of the summer. And that big, bold flavored marinade we just discussed? It only needs thirty minutes in a bag with some chicken to work it’s big, bold flavor magic. Gosh I just love that. AND and and – it comes in a single use packet so you can throw it away after and not have to worry about messing with sticky bottles (gasp!) It’s like they made it just for my Oregon trip. I feel like I owe a big fat THANK YOU to the Grill Mates single use marinade packaging designers for giving me one less thing to worry about when I’m packing for and stressing about transporting two 9-month old kidlets across several states. Besides the chicken, all you need to whip up these tasty sammies are some soft rolls (I love brioche, but use your fav!), lettuce, mayo (optional), mushrooms sautéed in a little garlic butter, and smoked mozzarella cheese. And that’s it! (insert fist bump here) Let the marinade and your grill do all the work this 4th of July and enjoy a fun and stress-free holiday with the peeps you call friends and family. Let freedom ring and please let it taste like a brown sugar bourbon chicken & mushroom melt. This tasty recipe was sponsored by McCormick – thanks for letting me work with the brands I love!
