Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lentil Salad
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 10 Roma tomatoes, sliced vertically into 6 segments
  • 12 thyme sprigs
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar
  • Salt & Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 Tbs. high quality red wine vinegar
  • 4 Tbs. olive oil
  • ⅓ cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  • ½ cup chives, chopped
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbs. Exra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 17½ ounce package of Umbrian lentils
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 2 to 2½ pounds
  • Salt & Freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil to prepare the grill
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil to drizzle
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 250ยบ and line a heavy duty baking sheet with cooking parchment
  2. Lay the tomato segments on the the parchment cut side up, spreading them as to not crowd the baking sheet. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the tomatoes, drizzle with the olive oil & balsamic vinegar and season generously with salt & freshly ground pepper.
  3. Place the tray in the preheated oven and gently roast for 2 hours or until the tomatoes begin to color and shrivel. During that time, stir the tomatoes twice to insure that they are evenly roasted. Remove from the oven, discard the thyme sprigs and allow to cool. The tomatoes may be prepared two days in advance, placed in a container along with any residual liquid and refrigerated.
  4. Combine the thinly sliced red onion and red wine vinegar in a small bowl to marinate for 15 minutes. Combine the marinated onions, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a bowl large enough to accommodate the cooked lentils.
  5. In the meantime, rinse the lentils in a colander with cold water. Place the rinsed lentils in a large heavy duty pot and cover them with fresh cool water reaching about 1½ inches over the lentils. Bring the lentils to a boil, reduce the heat to a strong simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender, stirring several times. The tiny Umbrian lentils cook quickly, so check the degree of doneness at about the 12 minute mark. Once the lentils are cooked, drain them in a colander, make sure that they are well drained. Add the warm cooked lentils to the bowl with the onion, garlic and olive oil; stir well and set aside. This may be done a day in advance, cooled and refrigerated.
  6. Remove the chicken breast to a cutting board which is devoted to chicken and can be sanitized in the dishwasher. Working with one breast at a time, cover the meat with plastic wrap and using a meat pounder or small cast iron skillet, pound the breast to create a uniform thickened of between ¾ and ½ an inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and season both sides with salt & freshly ground black pepper. Reserve on a plate and refrigerate until a half hour before grilling.
  7. Take the lentil salad out of the refrigerator about 2 to 3 hours before serving, mixing in all but 1 tablespoon each of the chives and parsley. Arrange the lentil salad on a large serving platter and cover with plastic wrap.
  8. Remove the seasoned chicken breasts from the refrigerator and heat the grill until red hot. The grill should be perfectly clean of any residual material at this point. Using the vegetable oil, lightly oil the grates with a heat proof brush.
  9. Place the chicken breasts on the prepared grill and grill about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not attempt to move the breast before the two minute mark.
  10. Remove the chicken breasts directly to the plattered lentil salad. Drizzle the breasts with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle the remaining chives & parsley over them. The dish can be served immediately however is delicious at room temperature
Recipe by LaBellaSorella at http://labellasorella.com/2015/09/grilled-chicken-breast-with-lentil-salad/