Recipe and photo provided by Chicken Farmers of Canada.
Developed for CFC by Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Here’s a grilled lemony garlic chicken accompanied by a simple sour cream basil sauce. It is paired with a salad of heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Hard to resist!
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients
1 1/3 lb (0.7 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice, fresh
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) basil, fresh, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream, 14 % MF
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp (30 mL) basil, fresh, minced
8 cups (2 L) baby spinach
1/2 red onion, sliced into rings
Instructions
1. Add chicken thighs to a large re-sealable plastic bag. Prepare lemon peel (zest), fresh lemon juice, minced garlic and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) basil. Add to the bag with the olive oil. Seal bag and use your hands to massage marinade into thighs. Refrigerate at least one hour and preferably overnight.
2. Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and place on grill. Grill approximately 6-8 minutes on each side and until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
3. While chicken is grilling prepare the sauce. Mix sour cream with salt in medium bowl. Prepare cherry tomato quarters, sliced green onion and 2 Tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh basil. Stir into sour cream. Set aside.
4. To make individual servings, spread a few cups (500 mL) of baby leaf spinach across dinner plate. Sprinkle finely sliced red onions around perimeter. Add grilled chicken thigh to centre and top with dollop of the creamy basil sauce. Serve any extra sauce on the side.
Substitute other fresh herbs for the basil using any combination of chives, oregano, marjoram, mint, thyme and/or rosemary.
