Easy...Lemony...Good

Grilled Lemon Chicken & grilled yellow squash and onions

Warm weather means cooking on the grill around here. This past weekend we tried a recipe I saw on the blog, Judy's Chickens. She shares the best things and I learn things there, too. Check it out.

 

Her recipe called for sprigs of thyme. And my herb garden is in excellent condition right now, thanks to an abundance of rain this spring. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to actually use what I grow. 

Judy's recipe is super simple. She used boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin. I bought chicken cutlets which are already thin. Basically, they are large breasts cut in half horizontally. And I still pounded them a little thinner. Remember, when you cook these very thin pieces that they cook quickly. Don't overcook!

 

Throw some lemon slices and sprigs of thyme into the bag with the chicken and pour the Everyday Dressing over the top. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for a day or two and then grill.

This was not an overly strong lemon flavor, even after two days in the refrigerator. I love that this recipe has a fairly large window of "refrigerator resting" time. Our plans can change at the drop of a hat and this gives me flexibility. The marinade added a nice flavor, but I will throw in more thyme when we do it again. Read Judy's blog for more information about how she uses this recipe to feed a crowd.

It also works well in a two person household. We had it the first night with grilled fresh-from-the-garden squash and onions. And the next day, I sliced cold chicken and paired it with salad and marinated cucumbers for a quick lunch. And for one more lunch, I split the grilled chicken horizontally, warmed it a bit in the microwave and made sandwiches with Swiss cheese, mayonnaise and a thin spread of apricot preserves. I was feeling creative. Delicious!


GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN

2 lbs chicken cutlets (I pounded them a little thinner)
1 lemon, sliced, seeds removed
fresh thyme sprigs
1 recipe Everyday Salad Dressing (recipe below)
splash of white Balsamic vinegar, optional

Place chicken in a gallon ziploc bag. Pound if you want to. Put lemon slices and thyme sprigs over chicken. Pour dressing over all. Close top and marinate in refrigerator for 1-2 days. Grill, being careful not to overcook.


The dressing recipe is from Judy, too. But I've upped the amount of garlic pepper. All recipes like this can be adjusted to suit you and your family. I love this as my regular dressing for green salad. So easy to mix up, so if you are trying to move away from purchased salad dressings, this is a good place to start.

EVERYDAY SALAD DRESSING

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon McCormick’s Garlic Pepper

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight lid. Shake to blend.