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Week of 7/26/21

Basil Chicken with Marinara
with Italian tossed salad

Active: 40 Total: 70
Original GF Paleo Vegetarian
Basil Chicken with Marinara
Travel to Italy today with this summery meal featuring chicken, marinara sauce, and fresh basil.
Cooking methods: As we did when we featured this recipe in 2018, this version includes instructions for cooking on the grill or on the stove. Select your preferred method.
Tags
Grill Friendly
Proteins
Chicken, non-ground
Cuisines
European - Mediterranean
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29

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Spicy Marinara Sauce:
  • Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped
  • Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp
  • Red pepper flakes (opt) - 1/4 tsp
  • Oregano, dried - 1/4 tsp
  • Tomato paste - 4 Tbsp
  • Stock, any type - 1/2 cup (sub water)
Italian Tossed Salad:
  • Tomatoes, medium (sub half a cup cherry or grape tomatoes for each medium tomato) - 1 , diced
  • Lettuce, romaine - 2 hearts , chopped (sub green leaf or iceberg)
  • Olives, black and sliced (2.25 oz / 63 g) - 1 can , drained and rinsed
  • Oil, olive - 2 1/2 Tbsp
  • Vinegar, red or white wine - 2 tsp
  • Oregano, dried - 1/4 tsp
  • Pepitas / pumpkin seeds - 1/3 cup
Basil Chicken with Marinara:
  • Zucchini - 1 lb , sliced into spears
  • Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - 1 1/2 lbs
  • Basil, fresh - 10 leaves , chopped
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
  • Spicy marinara sauce (ingredients listed separately) - ~3/4 cup

Choose Cooking Method

Prep

  1. Make sauce - (If prepping right before cooking, get grill heating before continuing with prep.) Chop garlic. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil (portion for sauce) and when hot, add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano (portion for sauce) and saute until fragrant, ~1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and stock and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, ~1 minute. Add more stock if needed to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
  2. Zucchini - Slice into spears. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
  3. Chicken - Pat dry and season with some salt and pepper.
  4. Basil / Tomatoes / Lettuce - Prep as directed.
  5. Olives - Drain and rinse.

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Make

  1. Preheat grill to 425F / 218C degrees, keeping one part over direct heat and one part over indirect heat.
  2. Brush grates with first part of cooking oil and place chicken over direct heat. Brush zucchini spears with second part of cooking oil and place over direct heat. Sear chicken and zucchini on both sides until lightly charred.
  3. Move chicken and zucchini to indirect heat and continue cooking until zucchini is tender and chicken is cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. (Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F / 74C degrees.)
  4. If sauce was made ahead, reheat in the microwave.
  5. When chicken is nearly cooked through, whisk together olive oil (portion for salad), vinegar, and oregano (portion for salad). Toss dressing with lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and pepitas. Season salad with some salt and black pepper.
  6. Pour sauce over chicken and zucchini and sprinkle basil over top. Enjoy salad on the side.

Prep

  1. Make sauce - Chop garlic. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil (portion for sauce) and when hot, add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano (portion for sauce) and saute until fragrant, ~1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and stock and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, ~1 minute. Add more stock if needed to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
  2. Zucchini - Slice into spears. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
  3. Chicken - Pat dry and season with some salt and pepper.
  4. Basil / Tomatoes / Lettuce - Prep as directed.
  5. Olives - Drain and rinse.

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Make

  1. Heat a large skillet or frying pan with first part of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until both sides are deep golden brown, ~3 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside and return pan to heat.
  2. Add second part of cooking oil and then zucchini to heated oil. Cook on on all sides until zucchini spears are tender and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add sauce and basil and stir to combine.
  3. Nestle chicken in sauce and cover with a lid or foil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. (Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F / 74C degrees.)
  4. When chicken is nearly cooked through, whisk together olive oil (portion for salad), vinegar, and oregano (portion for salad). Toss dressing with lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and pepitas. Season salad with some salt and black pepper.
  5. Serve chicken and zucchini with sauce. Enjoy salad on the side.

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