Grilled Chicken and Potatoes with Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Last night I made this very simple and summery meal. Everyone in the family loved it!

I have to say the potatoes were amazing. My kids couldn't get enough of them. I should have made double the amount. I also thought that the cucumber-tomato salad with fresh herbs was delicious. It was so refreshing and gave a pop of color to the plate. The dressing is however the most important component of this meal. I let the chicken marinate in some of it for about 30 minutes. You will also use it to toss the potatoes before grilling and tossing the salad before serving.

For the lemon vinaigrette:

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/4teaspoon finely grated zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)

2 anchovy fillets minced and rinsed (optional, I did not use)

1 large clove garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake it up.

For the chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, rinsed and patted dry.

Transfer to a glass dish or even a zip-lock bag. Spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of vinaigrette over the chicken breasts and let them sit while you cook the potatoes.

For the potatoes:

1 1/2 lbs. baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved (No peeling necessary)

Salt

Put the potatoes into a sauce pan with well-salted water. Boil until nearly cooked through, but still a little firm, 5-8 minutes depending on size. Drain and transfer to a large bowl, and toss with 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

Transfer chicken and potatoes to prepared grill. Cook the potatoes on a piece of aluminum foil and arrange the chicken alongside. Cover the grill and cook, turning both chicken and potatoes after about 5 minutes. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are browned, 10-12 minutes total. Let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing.

For the tomato-cucumber salad:

1/2 large English cucumber, peeled in stripes

cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mixed herbs, 

such as basil, cilantro, chives, tarragon, parsley and mint

(Use at least 3)

In a medium bowl, combine, the cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs, 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken and potatoes.

Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over chicken and potatoes at serving. A little Maldon salt on the potatoes is good too! Enjoy!

Serves 4

(recipe from Fine Cooking, Cook Fresh 2012)