Yum
Boy do I have a recipe for you today!
It all started when I went to my local Farmer's Market over the weekend and ran into a booth that was displaying the most decadent looking oils and vinegars! Oh do I love specialty items. So after tasting a dozen or so I decided to purchase 6 types. Not 1 or 2, but 6 different flavors. I went exotic with Pear Vinegar, Peach Jalapeno Vinegar, Blood Orange Olive Oil....and a few others. However, one of their best is a basic Balsamic Vinegar.
The nectar of gods! The flavor was soooo good I could chug it straight from the bottle!. It tastes like candy, no seriously it does! With this precious new find I decided this would be first up in the next recipe I make.
So I got to thinking about a quick weeknight meal. It's springtime and I don't want to be cooking all night and stuck in the kitchen. I want to be sitting outdoors, enjoying the evening and glass of sangria! With that in mind a quick chicken dish was in order. Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice was born!
This dish does require a quick marinate of 1 hour or 2. If you only have a tiny amount of time before dinner then leave the chicken marinating out on the counter for 15 minutes instead of placing the chicken and marinade in the refrigerator. This will speed up the process.
The rest comes together really quickly. Make the rice and vegetable sauté first (using instant if you like) and then grill the chicken. The meal comes together in about 30-40 minutes. NOTE: You can use any brand of balsamic vinegar you like. Here's a link to the one I purchased which can be bought online as well.
Grilled chicken smothered in the complex flavors of balsamic vinegar, Dijon, and lemon turn this into a company worthy meal, but simple enough for a family weeknight meal. Accompanied by a flavorful rice that combines with the vegetables of the Mediterranean. The perfect combination, and a winner in my book!
Enjoy!
Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice
serves 4
4 thin cut chicken breasts
Marinade:
2 T Dijon Mustard
2 T balsamic vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Rice:
1 1/2 cups converted brown rice
1 1.2 cups chicken broth - low sodium
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into moon shapes
1 T olive oil
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Place the chicken breasts in a zip lock bag. In a bowl add the rest of the marinade ingredients and stir to combine. Remove 1/3 cup of the marinade and place in a container for use during grilling. Add the rest of the marinade in the bag, seal and toss to coat the chicken. Place in the refrigerator up to 2 hours.
In a small sauce pan add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and cook until tender on low for 20 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium skillet add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and sauté until golden brown and tomatoes have burst. About 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Once rice is done add vegetables to the rice and fluff, tossing to combine.
Using an indoor grill pan, heat over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken to the grill pan, throwing away the used marinade. Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side. Turn and brush with the saved marinade, watching closely so the chicken doesn't burn. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
Remove from pan and serve along with the veggie rice.
It all started when I went to my local Farmer's Market over the weekend and ran into a booth that was displaying the most decadent looking oils and vinegars! Oh do I love specialty items. So after tasting a dozen or so I decided to purchase 6 types. Not 1 or 2, but 6 different flavors. I went exotic with Pear Vinegar, Peach Jalapeno Vinegar, Blood Orange Olive Oil....and a few others. However, one of their best is a basic Balsamic Vinegar.
The nectar of gods! The flavor was soooo good I could chug it straight from the bottle!. It tastes like candy, no seriously it does! With this precious new find I decided this would be first up in the next recipe I make.
So I got to thinking about a quick weeknight meal. It's springtime and I don't want to be cooking all night and stuck in the kitchen. I want to be sitting outdoors, enjoying the evening and glass of sangria! With that in mind a quick chicken dish was in order. Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice was born!
GRILLED BALSAMIC CHICKEN WITH
MEDITERRANEAN RICE
This dish does require a quick marinate of 1 hour or 2. If you only have a tiny amount of time before dinner then leave the chicken marinating out on the counter for 15 minutes instead of placing the chicken and marinade in the refrigerator. This will speed up the process.
The rest comes together really quickly. Make the rice and vegetable sauté first (using instant if you like) and then grill the chicken. The meal comes together in about 30-40 minutes. NOTE: You can use any brand of balsamic vinegar you like. Here's a link to the one I purchased which can be bought online as well.
Grilled chicken smothered in the complex flavors of balsamic vinegar, Dijon, and lemon turn this into a company worthy meal, but simple enough for a family weeknight meal. Accompanied by a flavorful rice that combines with the vegetables of the Mediterranean. The perfect combination, and a winner in my book!
Enjoy!
Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice
serves 4
4 thin cut chicken breasts
Marinade:
2 T Dijon Mustard
2 T balsamic vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Rice:
1 1/2 cups converted brown rice
1 1.2 cups chicken broth - low sodium
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 Zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into moon shapes
1 T olive oil
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
Place the chicken breasts in a zip lock bag. In a bowl add the rest of the marinade ingredients and stir to combine. Remove 1/3 cup of the marinade and place in a container for use during grilling. Add the rest of the marinade in the bag, seal and toss to coat the chicken. Place in the refrigerator up to 2 hours.
In a small sauce pan add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and cook until tender on low for 20 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium skillet add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and sauté until golden brown and tomatoes have burst. About 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Once rice is done add vegetables to the rice and fluff, tossing to combine.
Using an indoor grill pan, heat over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken to the grill pan, throwing away the used marinade. Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side. Turn and brush with the saved marinade, watching closely so the chicken doesn't burn. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
Remove from pan and serve along with the veggie rice.
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