5 Fast and Flavorful Dinners Thanks to Bi-Rite Marinated Meats
Toss cilantro chicken into taco salad, roast sumac chicken right on root veggies, or roll honey-mustard pork tenderloin with crunchy apples.
Sure, you could spend your weekend meal prepping. Or you could let your friendly neighbors at Bi-Rite break down the bird, chop the garlic, and do the deep work. There are several reasons guests keep snagging marinated meats from the refrigerated case, starting with the quality of the meat. “What we sell marinated is the same thing we sell behind the counter,” confirms category manager Chili Montes, so it’s free-range chicken from Mary’s in the Central Valley and heritage pork sourced by Heritage Foods in Brooklyn. But with even bigger flavor, thanks to marinade recipes developed in house over many years. Those cuts get submerged for at least 24 hours, to fully penetrate the meat. Making them so convenient, so you can grab a chicken breast or pork chop, and sear off big flavor fast — like under 20 minutes.
Plus, those quality meats and original marinades all get vacuum-packed in tidy packages. “If you go shopping once a week, you can buy a few flavors, and throw them in your refrigerator or freezer, so they’re ready throughout the course of the week,” Montes says. It’s especially tempting because they pair so beautifully with seasonal produce. So you can toss cilantro chicken into a fresh taco salad, roast sumac chicken right on top of root veggies, or roll a honey-mustard pork tenderloin with crunchy apples. Here are five delicious ways marinated meats can help you get a jumpstart on dinner this week.
Achiote Chicken Breast with Black Beans & Sweet Corn
Juicy chicken breasts turn bright red in tangy achiote, so they’re beautiful sliced over a bowl of beans. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm a drizzle of olive oil. Add the achiote chicken breast, season with salt, and sear until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Continue to cook until firm. Let rest before slicing. Meanwhile, shuck and steam sweet corn, cut the kernels from the cob, and season with salt. Reheat cooked black beans (or rinse and drain canned black beans). Scoop the beans and corn into bowls and top with the sliced achiote chicken. Scatter with thinly sliced red onion, torn cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Becky Duffett
Cilantro Chicken Thighs with Little Gems Salad
Meaty chicken thighs borrow zing from bright cilantro and lime, primed to toss into a totally fresh taco salad. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm a drizzle of olive oil. Add the cilantro-cumin chicken thighs, season with salt, and sear until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Continue to cook until firm. Let rest before slicing. In a large bowl, combine the little gem leaves, halved cherry tomatoes, and tortilla chips. Drizzle with avocado-jalapeño salsa, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Pile the salad in bowls and top with the sliced cilantro chicken.
Roasted Sumac Chicken with Root Vegetables
The “semi-boneless chicken” is a whole bird that’s spatchcocked but with a few extra bones removed, so it lays flat and cooks quickly and evenly. Already rubbed down with tart sumac and citrus, you can roast it right on top of root veggies to capture the drippings. Preheat the oven to 450°F. On a sheet pan, pile chunks of potatoes, carrots, and red onion. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange the sumac semi-boneless chicken on top, skin-side up, and season with salt. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F, and continue to cook until the chicken reaches 165°F. Let the chicken rest before carving. Slide za’atar man’oushe into the oven to warm. Transfer the sumac chicken and root vegetables to plates and tear into the warm man’oushe.
Becky Duffett
Porchetta-Spiced Pork Chops with Polenta & Broccoli
Porchetta usually refers to a bundled-up roast, but the same vibrant flavors sink into a thick-cut pork chop, which is so weeknight friendly. Drop it on top of comforting polenta with heirloom broccoli curled alongside. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm a drizzle of olive oil. Add the porchetta-spiced pork chop, season with salt, and sear until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Continue to cook until done to your liking. Let rest before slicing. Return the pan to the heat, add broccoli di Ciccio, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender-crisp. Prepare the polenta according to package instructions, and stir in a pat of butter and sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Scoop the polenta into bowls, top with the sliced pork chop, and add the broccoli alongside.
Becky Duffett
Honey-Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Delicata & Apple
A tender little pork roast is just the right size for a busy weeknight, especially when it’s paired with sweet honey, tart mustard, and autumn produce. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pile a seeded and sliced delicata squash on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Nestle the honey-mustard pork tenderloin in the center, season with salt, and roast until 145°F, about 20 minutes. Let the tenderloin rest before carving. In a large bowl, combine the delicata, a cored and sliced apple, and a couple of handfuls of baby spinach. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette, season with salt, and toss to coat. Transfer the sliced pork to plates, pile the salad alongside. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, if you like.
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram at @beckyduffett.
