Now that summer is here I'm spending a lot more time around the grill - chicken usually, but we're also fond of good Gulf shrimp (yummm). We don't get to the beach as much as we'd like, so when I fire up the grill my go-to entrée is usually chicken.
Since it's a kitchen staple, we keep a Zip Lock bag full of grilled chicken breasts in our freezer at all times. Why? After a hard day slaving away in the blogosphere, it's a quick and easy dinner!
If Charlotte wants to whip up some of her famous chicken enchiladas, she's ready to go. It's also great in her spicy chicken cheese dip, grilled chicken salads, chicken spaghetti and even by itself with a side dish of her special Mac & Cheese.
This recipe is super easy and if you know a guy who likes to grill, it's something he can do to help out in the kitchen. Bonus!
Ingredients
4, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1, 16 oz. bottle, Italian salad dressing
Italian seasoning
Cracked black pepper
Preparation
Rinse boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pat dry.
Using a kitchen fork, tenderize the chicken breasts by piercing them on both sides.
Place tenderized chicken breasts in a Zip Lock freezer bag.
Add entire bottle of Italian salad dressing and 2 tbsp. of Italian seasoning to the Zip Lock freezer bag containing the chicken breasts. Make sure the Zip Lock freezer bag is closed securely and gently shake it to ensure that the chicken breasts are covered in the marinade.
TIP: Look at the label of the Italian salad dressing and buy a dressing that lists "oil" as its main ingredient (it should be the first or second ingredient listed on the label). An oil-based salad dressing will help keep the chicken moist and tender while grilling.
Place Zip Lock freezer bag containing the marinating chicken breasts in the refrigerator and let them marinate for 2-3 hours.
Grilling
Pre-heat a gas grill, or use a charcoal grill with a temperature of 350 degrees.
Remove marinated chicken breasts from Zip Lock bag and place them on pre-heated grill. SAVE the marinade. Do NOT throw it out.
Season each chicken breast with cracked black pepper to taste.
Grill chicken breasts on one side at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Turn over chicken breasts. Brush the chicken breasts with remaining marinade and add more cracked black pepper to taste.
Grill chicken breasts at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove cooked chicken breasts from the grill and let them rest for 15 minutes. Serve.
Yield
4 hungry adults.
Tip: Charlotte and I split the cooked chicken breasts in thirds before freezing. That portion size works great for us and we can use as much or as little as we need to make a grilled chicken Panini or small salad whenever the mood strikes us. See...I told you it's a go-to dish in our house!
Related
Super Satisfying Chicken Spaghetti
Comforting Chicken & Rice Casserole
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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