Char-grilled Chicken, Roasted Broccoli, and Baby Spinach Salad
Combine grilled chicken with fresh vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or fresh greens to make this delicious and low cost meal.
Ingredients
- 8 free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
- zest from 1 lime finely grated
- juice from 4-6 limes
- 4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 cups raw broccoli florets
- 1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup cucumber sliced
- 1/8 cup red onion chopped
- 2 tbsp vegan dressing of choice
Instructions
- Begin by roasting the broccoli. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the broccoli on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoon of the olive oil, and then sprinkle on the sea salt and black pepper.
- Place in the middle of the preheated oven, and roast for 40-45 minutes or until the stems of the broccoli are fork tender. Toward the last 10 minutes or so, keep a watchful eye on the roasting broccoli as the florets can go from perfectly browned to black in a matter of a few minutes.
- As soon as the broccoli is put in the oven to roast, begin grilling the chicken breasts, as you have to account for marinating time. Cut any excess/visible fat from the chicken breasts, and rinse the chicken breasts in cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Prepare the marinade by combining the lime zest, lime juice, the remaining 2-4 tablespoons olive oil, and the crushed garlic into a shallow glass bowl. Whisk until the contents are well incorporated, adding a little more olive oil, if needed.
- Place the chicken breasts in the marinade, turning to coat each breast with the marinade as best as possible. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to marinate. Tip: You could also combine the marinade in a doubled gallon-sized Ziploc bag, and place the chicken breasts in the bag to marinate. Doing this can often make it easier to coat each piece with the marinade. If you are worried about the bag leaking, just lay the bag in a large bowl or in a shallow dish such as a pie pan to catch any leakage.
- Preheat the grill. Place the chicken breasts on the grill, and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side or until nicely charred and cooked through. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken from the grill, and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- While the chicken breasts are grilling, prepare the salad. Place the torn baby spinach, sliced cucumber, and chopped red onion into a large salad bowl. Toss to mix. Drizzle on the vegan salad dressing of choice and toss to coat. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.
- Place one of the char-grilled breasts on a serving plate alongside the 2 cups of the roasted broccoli and 11⁄2 cups of the prepared side salad. Serve immediately.
- For the remaining 7 chicken breasts, place one of the breasts in a storage container, and store in the refrigerator to be used for the next day’s lunch. Place the remaining 6 char-grilled chicken breasts in freezer wrap/freezer safe containers—individually—to be stored for next use.
