Chicken with Tomato & Cucumber salad

Super tasty, super fast, super easy, super kid friendly, super healthy... what more do you need?

Ingredients for salad:
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup pear tomatoes, sliced in rounds
1 kirby cucumber, unpeeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced
3 pepperoncini peppers, stemmed and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for grilled chicken:
4 chicken paillards (scaloppini), about 4 ounces each
Olive oil spray
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation: 
1.) Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear to a coarse paste.
2.) Put the garlic paste in a large bowl and stir in the olive oil and lemon juice.
3.) Add the tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoncini, and dill and toss.
4.) Grind some black pepper. Toss again, and set aside.
Preheat a grill pan or nonstick skillet to medium high.
5.) Spray the chicken paillards lightly with the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
6.) Grill the chicken, in batches if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, turning once, until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
7.) Place each paillard on a plate and serve topped with the tomato-cucumber salad.

Mediterranean Chicken

A delicious dish which will transport you directly to the shores of Southern Europe. It takes a little bit of preparation but is definitely worth the effort.

For the chicken:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, washed and quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 branches fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied

For the salsa verde:
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup mint leaves, chopped
2 cup basil, chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
4 anchovy fillets, bones removed, soaked and chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more to taste
Coarse sea salt, to taste

For the side of tomatoes:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, whole
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Splash of balsamic vinegar

1. To marinate the chicken: In a large plastic sealable bag, squeeze the juice from the lemon and add the lemon itself. Add all the remaining ingredients, seal carefully, and massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or even overnight.

2. To make the salsa verde: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until serving. Refrigerate if made earlier in the day, and remove an hour or so before serving.

3. To cook the chicken: Lightly spray a stovetop cast iron griddle with oil and heat over medium-high heat until smoking.

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat off excess marinade. Place the chicken on the griddle and cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Turn the chicken and cook 2 more minutes, until cooked through.

5. To make the tomatoes: Heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes and splash of balsamic vinegar, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomatoes are warmed through. Crush lightly with a wooden spoon and serve.

6. Place the chicken on a platter and top with the salsa verde with the tomatoes on the side.

Spinach Chicken Wrap

This is a easy-to-go wrap for kids' lunch or family picnic alike and can be whipped up in a moment.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup halved seedless grapes
1/8 cup chopped walnuts
1 whole wheat tortilla
baby spinach leaves

Preparation:
1.) Whisk together the mayo, mustard, honey, and milk.
2.) Stir in chicken, celery, grapes and walnuts.
3.) Lay some baby spinach leaves on the tortilla, layer with the chicken mixture, and wrap it up tightly.
4.) Cut your wrap in half, and you're good to go!

Maple-Glazed Chicken

Looking for a healthy, easy dish on a cold winter Sunday night, maple-glazed chicken sounded delicious.... and it was.

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
2 apples (1 red, 1 green), cored, cut into wedges
8 medium shallots, quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
salt
2 tbl olive oil

Preparation:

1.) Pat the chicken dry and season with salt. 

2.) Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken skin-side down and cook until the skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.

3.) Turn the chicken and add the apples, shallots and sage to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook until the chicken is browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.

4.) Transfer the chicken to a plate and continue to cook the apples and shallots, stirring, until golden, about 2 more minutes. 

5.) To prepare the glaze, mix the chicken broth, maple syrup, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

6.) Add the mixture to the skillet with the apples and shallots and boil until reduced by about three-quarters, 2 to 3 minutes. 

7.) Return the chicken to the skillet, turning to coat, until cooked through, about 2 more minutes.