Grilled Tuscan Chicken

I know it’s the end of summer and your grilling recipes have gotten pretty stale. Maybe you’re entirely sick of the grill and are ready for the weather to turn so you can make a hug pot of lentil soup or your grandma’s lasagna. Maybe you feel like if you have to eat one more grilled chicken breast you’re going to choke on it. I wouldn’t know anything about that, really, but if that describes how you’ve been feeling, don’t throw in the apron yet. Barefoot Contessa saves the day.

The spirit of this dish is simplicity, perfect for a summer evening with friends–which is exactly what we did with it. You can put the chicken in to marinade early in the day, or even the night before, and then forget about it until dinner time. Throw some veggies from the garden onto the grill, call the hungry kids to the table and dinner is served.

I plan on using this marinade method with lots of dishes in the future. The herbs are first put into boiling water, and then steeped (like tea) for several minutes. Then you blend it all together with the other marinade ingredients. Steeping the herbs in the hot water creates an infusion that is absorbed more deeply into the meat. I was skeptical that it would actually make a difference, but really, it did. I’m imagining all sort of marinades where I steep citrus peel, or ginger, or lemongrass. The possibilities are endless.

Feel free to use whatever herbs you have. I had some basil in the fridge, so we used that.

You can also mix up the chicken cuts that you use. But I really recommend using something with bones and skins. It adds so much flavor. And don’t be afraid to eat the skin (you know you want to). It’s good for you!

This recipe is being shared over at Cybele Pascal’s blog. Click on over for lots more yummy allergen-friendly recipes.