An epic grilling weekend is upon us with Memorial Day coming up! Not that we haven’t already been grilling here at my house! I think we’ve already grilled at least 6 or 7 times this Spring, thanks to unseasonably warm weather in Pittsburgh! (And by we, I mean my husband- our resident Grill Master.) How about you? Have you broken out your grill yet? Or, are you going to debut it this weekend?
Since grilling is on the brain for most of us at this point in the year, what kind of food blogger would I be if I didn’t provide you with a new recipe that is tailor-made for the grill?! Move over burgers and dogs! This new Grilled Citrus Herb Chicken and Veggies meal is a healthy, colorful, AIP/Paleo-friendly way to celebrate Memorial Day! Tender chicken breasts are marinated in a dressing filled with lemon, lime, garlic, and fresh herbs, then grilled to perfection, along with a big helping of tasty green veggies! This recipe is super simple and can be served family-style, which works great for holiday picnics and barbecues.
So, dust off the patio furniture, fill up the outdoor pool, invite some friends over, and get ready for a very delicious Memorial Day recipe! Ready, set, grill! 😉
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, my husband, Mark, is my go-to for all things related to grilling! He just has a knack for it and I’m more than happy to let him take the reigns. So, whenever I come up with a new grilling recipe for Fed and Fulfilled, I always get his input and advice before I settle on a final version. He’s also very patient with me when I ask him to keep track of all the cooking times (like in today’s recipe) or bombard his grilling solitude with the clicks of my camera. And he never even complains after waiting eons to eat everything he grilled while I finish my styled photo shoots! He’s the best!
One of these days, Mark will take over the blog with a guest post and share one of his very own grilling creations, since he has plenty of ideas! But for now, I will just say a big thank you to Mark for expertly grilling my Grilled Citrus Herb Chicken and Veggies to perfection and making my job of taking the food photos so easy! And as good as this dish looks in the photos, I assure you, it tastes even better!
To begin, you’ll want to whisk up the marinade, which also doubles as a dressing. This could be a delicious salad dressing all on its own, so keep the recipe handy for future lunch salads! It’s just a combination of lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, and sea salt. I used “lemon thyme” that I started growing this year. The leaves are a little bigger than regular thyme leaves and it has a beautiful lemony aroma and taste.
Once the marinade is all set, you’ll reserve at least 1/4 to 1/2 cup and pour the rest over the chicken. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or more. To save money and stretch the serving size, I split my chicken breasts in half, since they were quite large. Definitely a good idea when you have to feed a crowd! Plus, it helps the chicken cook faster on the grill.
The final prep has to do with the veggies. I went with all green vegetables here (broccolini – or “baby broccoli”, asparagus, and zucchini) because I thought they just looked so pretty together and were seasonal for a grilling meal. Plus, the cook time for all of them was about the same. Slice the zucchini lengthwise so that they’re easier to flip on the grill grates. And don’t forget to snap off the tough ends of your asparagus!
After the prep, make sure your grill is hot and ready. Mark grilled all the veggies first by simply brushing them with a bit of olive oil, a sprinkle of smoked sea salt, and some garlic powder. He grilled them for about 4-5 minutes per side until they were charred and tender.
Once the veggies finish, throw the chicken on and let it cook with the lid covered for about 8-10 minutes per side. If you’re not a confident grill master like my husband, cut into one of the chicken pieces to make sure it’s cooked through. Or use a meat thermometer! No one wants undercooked chicken on Memorial Day – or ever!
For serving my Grilled Citrus Herb Chicken and Veggies, pile all the vegetables on a large serving platter, then drizzle them with some of the reserved marinade. Really, these veggies would make an outstanding side dish with any summer meal! But let’s face it, the star of this recipe really is the chicken, so we should probably plate it, too.
To complete the meal, arrange the chicken breast halves over the veggies and drizzle more of the citrus herb dressing over them. And just like that, you have a healthy, bright, and flavorful Memorial Day meal that is a tasty alternative to basic hamburgers and hot dogs. (It could also be made in addition to your favorite burgers and hot dogs!)
And if you’re hankering for a starchy side dish to pair with my Grilled Citrus Herb Chicken and Veggies, make a big bowl of my AIP Plantain “Potato” Salad or bake up a tray of White Sweet Potato Oven Fries! Both sides would be delicious with today’s meal! So, hopefully you’ll try one or all of the recipes I mentioned and make your Memorial Day weekend full of memorable, crowd-pleasing foods that are also good for your health! Happy Memorial Day, Friends! And a HUGE thank you to all who served or are currently serving in the U.S. military! We owe you our lives and freedom!
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts, halved
- 1 lb. zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed
- ½ lb. broccolini (baby broccoli)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon raw honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon smoked sea salt (plain works, too)
- Whisk together the Citrus Herb Marinade ingredients. Reserve ¼-1/2 cup to use as a dressing later. Pour the rest over the chicken breast halves in a container. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.
- Brush trimmed and sliced veggies with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder.
- Grill veggies on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. They should be lightly charred and tender.
- Remove chicken from marinade and grill for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
- To serve, top veggies with grilled chicken and drizzle with reserved Citrus Herb Marinade.
This is amazing!! I made it for my family on Sunday and my sister said that it was her favorite dinner!! I did switch out the parsley and used cilantro instead – we love cilantro. I made a lot, thinking that I was going to have some lunches the next couple of days….. Well, when something is that good everyones’ stomaches become so much larger. I am thankful that did have lunch for the next day. Thanks Joanna!
Awesome, Cami! I’m so happy it was a hit for you and your fam! Thanks for trying it and sharing the results! I’ll have to try it with cilantro next time, too! 🙂
My whole family loved this recipe, and I’ve since made the marinade to use as a dressing, to season tuna, etc. Stored in the fridge, the oil solidifies and I have to microwave it. Is it safe to store it in the pantry at room temperature? Thanks!
Hi Carole,
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the recipe and marinade! I personally have never tried storing it, so I’m not sure if it would keep well unrefrigerated. One thing you could do would be to mix up everything except the olive oil and keep that refrigerated in a jar. Then when you need to use it, just add the olive oil separately. Not quite as convenient, but it’s an option! 😉
Thanks! I will do some more research to see if it’s possible. I would imagine the ingredients used in store-bought dressings to keep this from happening aren’t AIP paleo!!
Sounds like a good plan! 🙂 Yeah, I think you’re right- probably lots of additives to keep things shelf stable!
This looks amazing. Can hardly wait to make it.
A question why do you use white and not orange sweet potatoes for the fries.
Less sweet or less starch?
Just curious.
Thank you.
Hi Joyce,
Thank you! Hope you enjoy the recipe! I love white sweet potatoes because they taste less sweet than the orange variety and remind me more of regular potatoes. Both are delicious as fries, my husband and I just happen to prefer the white ones when we make them! 😉
Can I bake it instead of grilling it?
I haven’t tried this recipe baked, but I’m sure it would still be tasty! Give it a try! 🙂
This looks absolutely amazing, but as fresh herbs are really expensive to have on hand (unless you have your own herb garden, and I haven’t ever had the time to put one together), do you suppose it would be ok to use the dried parsley and thyme??
Hi Savannah,
Totally understand! Yes, use whatever dried herbs you enjoy most. It might not be as bright and punchy as the fresh herbs version but the citrus flavor is most predominant anyway, so you should still get a tasty result! 🙂
I love this recipe – it’s in my rotation. Great on a salad, too. Thanks a bunch!
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that, Shelley! I love it on salad, too! ☺️