Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing

Recipe courtesy Giadia De Laurentis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Beach Party

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (132)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(132)

Cook Time:
10 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 30 min
Cook: 10 min
Total:: 55 min

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Ingredients

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Whisk 1/3 cup of oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, fennel seeds, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a heavy-duty re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and seal the bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day, turning the chicken occasionally.

Meanwhile, blend the basil, garlic, lemon zest, remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth. Gradually blend in the remaining 1/3 cup oil. Season the basil sauce, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to plates. Drizzle the basil sauce over and serve.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing
Kathy Owings Mills, MD 09-08-2009
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vinaigrette is tasty - marinade needed more oomph
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I prepared the marinade and placed chicken overnight in refrigerator in it. The grilled chicken had a mild flavor but not as... muvh flavor as we like. I had trouble with the fennel seeds, and ended up rough chopping them. The basil vinaigrette is really tasty - don't skip that part of the recipe. As has been noted, the recipe makes about twice as much as you will need for the chicken. I would go ahead and make the vinaigrette as is and use for salads or pasta, very fresh and tasty.Read more
recipe Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing
Laura Simpsonville, SC 09-06-2009
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Great!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I have made this dish twice now, and it is so good. The marinade is easy to put together, and I usually let the chicken sit... in it for several hours before grilling. I also butterfly the chicken breasts down the middle before putting them in the marinade. The flavor of the chicken is delicious and perfect for a summer evening. We use a lot of basil in our cooking, and we like the dressing. We have found in the two times we made this dish that the dressing is a little too lemony in flavor for our taste, so the next time we make this, we will cut back on the lemon. Otherwise, we woudn't change a thing, and we will definitely make this again!Read more
recipe Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing
Beth Nashville, TN 08-17-2009
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Basil Dressing is incredible!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I agree with several other reviewers - double the dressing! It's an incredible sauce that would go great with other foods.... You'll want it around for other meals. I was hesitant to include the fennel seeds (way too hard to crush/grind), but it really added a very tasty, different flavor. I'll definitely use this recipe again soon!!Read more
recipe Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing
Nicolettte North Port, FL 08-10-2009
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This chicken is AMAZING!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Wow! I was so amazed when I tried this chicken! The flavors are incredible. My sauce was very lemony but I loved the flavor!... This is so easy to fix, perfect for a busy weeknight! I had trouble crushing my fennel seeds. I don't own a coffee grinder(to crush the seeds) and do not want to buy one for one use! I tried a few different things but chopping with a knife worked the best! This is going into my favorite recipe file! We are trying to eat less carbs and this is perfect and healthy! Thanks Giada! Read more
recipe Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing
Morgan Montrose, CO 08-03-2009
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Super easy, moist, and with such limited ingredients!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

A fantastic recipe. Definitely perfect for summer grilling. An easy way to impress guests - very flavorful!
recipe Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing
Melissa Rockwall, TX 08-03-2009
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Beautuiful!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was the best tasing chicken and dressing that I have ever had. The color of the dressing was a beautiful green that not... only looked great drizzled over the chicken but tasted out of this world. I am thinking of other things I can use it with. This is a simple recipe that is impressive and delicious!Read more