Description
This Mediterranean Grilled Chicken is a simple, flavor-packed summer meal with juicy lemon-herb chicken, charred zucchini, and sweet grilled corn. Fresh, vibrant, and easy enough for weeknights, it’s a healthy dinner the whole family will love. Gluten-free.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh herbs- oregano, thyme, or rosemary (the combo of all three is nice or choose 1 or 2)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest, minced
Chicken and Veggies
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 2-3 corn on the cob, husked
- 1 1/2 lbs zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Pinch salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- A sprinkle of smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, mix garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, and lemon zest. Remove 1 tablespoon of the marinade and set it aside (you’ll use it in step 5).
- Marinate the chicken. Thoroughly coat the chicken breast in the marinade in the bowl. Cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, in the refrigerator.
- Grill the chicken. Preheat grill to high heat. (See notes for chicken thighs.) Lift chicken breasts out of the bowl, letting most of the oil drip off, before carefully placing them on the grill. Turn the heat to medium-high, close the grill lid, and cook for 5-6 minutes (or until deep golden grill marks appear) before flipping. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for 5-7 minutes, and lower the heat or move to a cooler spot until the thickest part of the breast registers at 160F and the meat is no longer pink and the meat looks opaque. Let it rest 5-10 minutes, while you grill the squash and corn.
- Prep and Grill veggies. In a clean bowl, toss zucchini and corn cobs with a little olive oil, salt and pepper (optional). Grill the corn for 8-10 minutes, turning every few minutes until lightly charred and tender. Grill zucchini 2-3 minutes per side. Feel free to grill at the same time as the chicken.
- Drizzle sauce. Mix lemon juice with the 1 tablespoon of marinade previously set aside (do not use from the chicken).
- Serve. Slice chicken and arrange with veggies on a platter. Drizzle lemon marinade sauce over the chicken and veggies.
Notes
If using chicken thighs, follow the same directions up until grilling. Have a spray bottle filled with water handy for flare-ups. Using tongs, let the marinade drip off each piece before placing it on the grill. If the grill flares, lightly spray the flame out (don’t spray the chicken). Grill each side until deep grill marks appear- 5-7 minutes, lower heat, then continue cooking low and slow until cooked all the way through to 175F. ( You can also finish thighs in a warm oven- they won’t dry out.)
Store leftover chicken and veggies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Add to soups, salads, sandwiches- so many creative options.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-6 ounces of chicken
- Calories: 296
- Sugar: 3.3 g
- Sodium: 369.7 mg
- Fat: 16.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.6 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 27.4 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
