LEBANESE GARLIC-MARINATED CHICKEN ON THE GRILL RECIPE | EPICURIOUS.COM

Lebanese Garlic-Marinated Chicken on the Grill Recipe | Epicurious.com image

This is another good recipe for skinless, boneless chicken breasts since the olive oil compensates for the dryness of the meat, but if you prefer, by all means, leave the skin on. For the finest flavor and texture, use chicken breasts from naturally raised free-range birds. For extra garlic flavor, serve it with Lebanese toum bi zeit (garlic sauce) . Precede it with a chilled gazpacho and serve the chicken with fresh pita bread or slices of a crusty country loaf and a massive green salad for a memorable summer Sunday lunch.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 7

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Ingredients

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, skin removed if you wish
4 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat blade of a knife
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Chicken breasts are usually sold split in half. Cut each breast half in half again and put them in a bowl.
Chop the garlic coarsely and in a small bowl crush it with the salt, using the back of a spoon, until you have a smooth paste. Stir in the lemon juice, oil, paprika, and pepper. Beat well with a fork and pour the marinade over the chicken pieces. Mix well, using your hands, and turn the pieces to coat them liberally with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 or 5 hours or overnight.
When you're ready to cook, prepare the grill, leaving plenty of time for it to heat up if you're using charcoal or wood. When the fire is hot enough, place the chicken pieces on the grill and set the grill a good 8 inches from the source of the heat. Use the marinade remaining in the bowl to baste the chicken frequently as it cooks. Grill for 10 minutes or longer on each side, turning each piece once. Test for doneness and serve hot or at room temperature.
Reprinted with permission from The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Healthy by Nancy Harmon Jenkins. Copyright © 1994, 2009 by Nancy Harmon Jenkins. Published by Bantam Dell, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher
Nancy Harmon Jenkins is a food writer with a passionate interest in Mediterranean cultures and cuisines, sustainable agriculture, and farm-to-market connections. Author of half a dozen highly acclaimed cookbooks, she writes for the New York Times, Saveur, and Food & Wine, and divides her time between her farmhouse outside of Cortona, Italy, and the coast of Maine.