Garlic & Mint Chicken

This is the first year that I grew mint in my backyard, ok make that deck since I technically don’t have a yard. I think it’s the coolest thing to walk outside and snip fresh herbs whenever you need them. Call me easily amused, but it’s awesome. I used to think of mint in drinks or desserts, never savory dishes. But last Spring I made a mint pesto served over pasta and it rocked my world. I knew I had to give this Garlic & Mint Chicken recipe a try.

So, how’s it taste?

The chicken wasn’t saucy enough for me, but I still enjoyed every serving. I’m not sure why I have such an obsession with sauce, but I would’ve liked more in my dish. A few drops of extra soy sauce did the trick. The chicken had a really nice, light flavor and the mint paired well with it and the couscous. I used Toasted Pine Nut couscous by Near East because it’s my favorite. I added a bit more lemon in my marinade than the recipe called for and it was great. It gave a slight tang to the chicken that was balanced by the chili powder. I chose to bake my chicken rather than grill it, but I bet grilling would give it another layer of awesome flavor. I’ll make this dish again, and possibly make more marinade to thicken into a sauce!

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Garlic & Mint Chicken

New Dieter's Cookbook
4 servings
per serving: 202 calories, 6g fat, 2g carbs, 34g protein, 0g fiber

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh mint
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 cloves garlic
4 chicken breasts
couscous, optional

Directions:

1. For the marinade, in a blender combine mint leaves, lemon juice, oil, soy sauce, chili powder, pepper, and garlic. Cover and blend until smooth.

2. Place chicken in a plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.

3. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender and no longer pink (170 degree F), turning once. If desired, serve over hot cooked couscous.