Grilled Chicken with Watermelon Salsa Paired with Carbonic Pinot Noir
Summer cooking is all about keeping things simple, fresh, and full of bright flavor — and this grilled chicken with watermelon salsa checks every box. Tanya dreamed up this dish as a fun twist on classic fruit salsa, swapping mango for peak‑season watermelon and adding feta, herbs, and pepitas for crunch. It’s light, refreshing, and exactly the kind of easy weeknight‑to‑weekend recipe we love this time of year. Pair it with a chilled glass of Carbonic Pinot Noir or Vermentino and you’ve got a new summer favorite!
Grilled Chicken with Watermelon Salsa
Light, refreshing, and bursting with flavor — a fun summer twist on classic fruit salsa.
Serves: 4
Recipe by: Tanya Miller
Suggested Pairing: 2025 Carbonic Pinot Noir or 2025 Vermentino
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 cup fresh watermelon juice
- 3–4 tsp liquid from Chipotles in Adobo (or your favorite chipotle sauce)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, zested
- ~½ tsp salt
Optional: Reserve some marinade to brush on the chicken during the last 5 minutes of grilling.
Watermelon Salsa
- 2–3 cups fresh watermelon, diced into ¼‑inch cubes
- ~½ cup crumbled feta (we used European feta for its milder flavor)
- ~½ cup roasted pepitas, chopped
- Equal parts mint + basil, about 2T each, chopped, or to taste
- Pinch or two of salt
- Lemon juice and/or zest, optional
- ½-1 tsp Aleppo pepper, or to taste
Directions
- Make the Marinade. Juice or puree watermelon. If pureed, strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Combine watermelon juice with remaining marinade ingredients. Add chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (2–3 hours preferred).
- Prep the Salsa. Add diced watermelon to a bowl with lemon juice if using; refrigerate while the chicken marinates. About 30 minutes before serving, add feta and Aleppo pepper. Chop herbs.
- Grill the Chicken. Grill at 425°, turning occasionally. Brush with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes. After your final baste, grill at least 2 minutes per side to ensure the marinade cooks fully. Continue grilling until nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 160°.
- Finish the Salsa. Right before serving, add herbs and pepitas. Mix gently and adjust seasoning with more salt, feta, or herbs if desired.
- Serve. Slice chicken, place on a serving tray. Spoon watermelon salsa over the top. Serve extra salsa on the side. Enjoy with a chilled glass of Carbonic Pinot Noir!
If you’re just discovering our recipes, they’re crafted by our in house trio of food obsessed creatives: Jen (Director of Marketing), Tanya (Culinary Creator and Woodinville Tasting Room Associate), and William (Marketing Manager & Photographer). We’re siblings (Tanya and Jen biologically; William honorarily), teammates, and fellow home cooks who love great wine, incredible food, and making dishes that look as good as they taste. The recipes you’ll find on our blog are developed, styled, and photographed by us, and we have so much fun doing it. Enjoy — and stay tuned for more!