I've found my summer obesssion: the best grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes. The best, Stacey? Yes, I'm gonna toot my own horn here for just a minute. I could not.stop.eating.this.chicken. You can see me eat the entire bite at the end of the video with every mmmm, ohhhh and commentary included. This one is easy to make and a no-brainer. Massive complementary flavors in the chicken marinade and the tomato marinade. You simply must give this one a try.
Grilled Chicken and Marinated Tomatoes = Flavor Explosion in Your Mouth
I have probably said this before, but I'm saying it again. Tomatoes are better in the summer. Right? I don't know what happens to me in the summer, but I can't get enough tomatoes. I'll take them any which way too. Homemade CSA Salsa, Roasted Garlic Tomatoes, Fantastic Tomato Bruschetta and now the best grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes. Also, who doesn't love a plate of sliced heirloom tomatoes? Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and rounds of mozzarella topped with fresh basil and you've got lunch or dinner on a hot day.
I had been wanting to do marinated tomatoes for a while. After some testing, I found just the right balance with the recipe I am sharing today. I love the pop of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar combined with the tamed flavors of a little raw garlic and onion after it marinates overnight.
And the grilled chicken? This may look familiar to you because I use the same marinade for my Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Romesco Sauce, Dill Harvarti & Arugula. The cilantro, parsley, lemon zest, garlic and onion blend together so nicely. The result of marinating overnight is a punch of flavor from the chicken and a complementary punch of flavor from the tomatoes. So now you have two ways to enjoy this grilled chicken!
Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes is Perfect for Holiday Grilling - Let's Break it Down
If you're trying to put out a healthier option for your Memorial Day, 4th of July or Labor Day cookout - this would be a great option for you. Summer cookouts can be a lot of work and it's always awesome to be able to prep some stuff the day before. This grilled chicken and marinated tomato recipe is one such example! Let's break it down:
Looking for More Awesome Recipes? I Gotcha Covered:
- Backyard BBQ w/Sriracha-Lime Chicken, Bacon Stuffed Cheeseburgers and Twisty Potatoes
- Garlic Dill Pickles
- Bobby Flay's Pickled Red Onions
- Rosemary Grilled Chicken with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
- Crispy Brick Chicken w/Pan Sauce and Veggies
- Honey Butter Bourbon Shrimp
The Best Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 portions 1x
Description
Want to know how to make the best grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes? Look no further. Excellent, guilt-free healthy meal option.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 Boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup of chopped fresh basil, more if you want
- 1 teaspoon of salt (to season the chicken)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (to season the chicken)
- Non-stick spray for grill
Chicken marinade:
- ½ bunch of cilantro
- ½ bunch parsley
- ¼ of large onion, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, rough chop
- Zest from one lemon (med to large)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup olive oil, more if needed
- ½ teaspoon pepper, optional
Tomato marinade:
- 1 pound of rainbow cherry tomatoes
- 1 large garlic clove, finely diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons red onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
- ½ cup (heaping) of mini mozzarella balls
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
NOTE: COOK AND PREP TIME DOES NOT INCLUDE MARINATING OVERNIGHT
Instructions
- Get your kitchen scissors and trim any fat from the boneless chicken breast. Chicken breast is pretty lean, but there is always a little fat there and I like to trim that.
- Slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise, as if you are butterflying, but you DO want to cut all the way through. The three chicken breasts will now be six chicken cutlets.
- Lay chicken cutlets on a cutting board and season with a light dusting of salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside while you make the marinade.
- The chicken marinade: put all marinade ingredients in a mini food processor and blend. I do rough chop the cilantro, parsley, onion and garlic before putting in the processor. Since I add Dijon here, I don’t put any salt in the marinade. If you taste it and think it needs a pinch you can go ahead and add. If the marinade is too thick you can thin it out with a little more olive oil.
- Fork the chicken and transfer to a large Ziplock bag or bowl.
- Pour the marinade in the bag or bowl. Massage the marinade all over the chicken making sure that all pieces are completely coated in the marinade.
- Refrigerate and marinate for 6 hours to overnight. I usually marinate it overnight.
- For the marinated tomatoes: Cut all the tomatoes in half. I used a sharp serrated steak knife for this because I think it’s easier.
- Finely dice the garlic and add it to the tomato bowl.
- Finely dice the onion and add to bowl.
- Finely chop parsley and add to bowl.
- Add mini mozzarella balls to bowl along with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Mix tomatoes until they are well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate overnight. You should stir the tomatoes a few times while they are marinating. (see note#1)
- After the chicken and tomatoes have marinated, get your grill ready. I usually turn my grill on and let it heat for 10-15 minutes with the flame on high. Right before I add the chicken to the grill, I spray with grill with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the marinated chicken on the grill and close the lid. Cook the chicken for four minutes on one side, then open the lid and turn the chicken. Cook for another four minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- While the chicken is resting you can chop the fresh basil. I usually stack the basil leaves on top of each other, roll them up and slice it thin. My video shows this well.
- Arrange the chicken on a platter and garnish with the marinated tomatoes and fresh basil. You can serve the tomatoes on the side and let people serve themselves.
Notes
- With the marinated tomatoes, the olive oil may harden overnight in the fridge. This is normal. Take out the tomatoes an hour before you plan to serve them. The olive oil will return to normal.
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