It’s Father’s Day weekend and we are celebrating it by keeping our grill fired-up. I’m roasting a slew of our favorite veggies and grilling some killer Dijon Chicken to pair with the Garlic Hummus I shared with you earlier this week. This will make for a lite but satisfying dinner to be followed up with this Summer Berry Torte for dessert, and WOW – if you haven’t made this yet, this weekend would be the perfect time to try it out!

This may be my favorite grilled chicken recipe because it takes little to no time to marinade and it always comes out flavorful and juicy. I also enjoy this chicken because it can be served with a wide variety of sides and pairs nicely with just about anything. Mashed potatoes? Sure. Rice, grits, pasta? Not a problem. How about this Sweet and Savory Couscous or Garbanzo Bean Salad? It also keeps well and makes a great grilled chicken salad the next day!

This recipe is adapted from my grandmother, who has made dijon chicken for as long as I can remember. My papa (grandfather) would grill the chicken and it always turned out delicious! It amazed at how well he could grill the dijon chicken, or anything for that matter. It took me several years to figure out how to cook chicken just right, and resist the urge to burn the heck out of it so that I didn’t poison anyone :).  Maybe one of these days I will share some of my grilling tips, more like ‘what not to do’s’ but I won’t bore you with that today. So, with no further adieu, find my Grilled Dijon Chicken recipe below.

Grilled Dijon Chicken

Prep time: 10 minutes / Marinade time: 30 minutes
Grill time: 12 minutes / Rest time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, (boneless/skinless) filet horizontally
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped for garnish
(or you can use parsley)

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken breast by cutting off excess fat and filet the breast down the center, slicing it horizontally. The best way to do this is to place the chicken breast on a secure cutting board, place the palm of your hand flat on the top of the chicken and using a sharp chef’s knife, carefully cut the breast into half. Place chicken in a gallon size plastic bag and set aside.
2. To prepare the marinade, use a small mixing bowl and add the dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Wisk until combined and pour into the plastic bag with the chicken. Seal the bag and coat chicken well by squeezing the ingredients around in the bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to maximize the flavor.
3. 25 minutes before you want to serve your chicken, preheat grill to medium-high.
4. When the grill is preheated, remove chicken from refrigerator and place on grill (if your meat tends to stick, make sure you lightly brush some cooking oil on the grill before placing your meat on it). Lower the heat to medium.
5. Cook chicken on each side for 5-6 minutes, adjust heat as needed.
6. Remove chicken from grill and allow a rest time (cover chicken during this time with foil) of 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

When the grill is hot I throw just about anything I can find (in my fridge, that is) on it! We love to grill and we love the bold flavors the grill adds to each dish. Today, I grilled up some cherry tomatoes, zucchini, squash, onion and garlic to go along with this Grilled Dijon Chicken. I also found an orange bell pepper which I roasted and blended with my Garlic Hummus. YUM!

This recipe is dedicated to my dad, my papa (who I miss dearly), my father-in-law, and my husband. Four amazing men who have supported me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and influenced my life in COUNTLESS ways. Thank you all for being strong, hard-working men, thank your for your care for your families, thank you for your love and selflessness, you all will never know what a HUGE blessing you have been to me. Happy Father’s Day!

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for me, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24