Grilled Chicken Dijon

I'm always looking for recipes that meet my most important criteria: Easy. Fast. Clean. And dammit, they'd better taste good, too. And guess what? This one hits them all. Start to finish, this yummy dinner will only cost you a total of 15 minutes. Here's what you'll need to serve 2:

• 1 clove garlic, crushed 
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 
• 6 fresh parsley sprigs (or thyme, marjoram, or rosemary), finely chopped 
• 1 dash sea salt (or Himalayan salt) 
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 2 (4-oz.) each raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

PROTIP: Double (or more!) this recipe and have extra servings for a big family, or even leftovers for work. This reheats great! I also made amazing honey dijon chicken wraps with the leftovers for my husband's work lunch. Try it out, and don't be afraid to get creative!

The secret to this quick preparation is using the broil function on your oven- but take it from someone who knows, and make sure not to leave the room! Just a few extra minutes on a high broil, and we are talking chicken hockey-pucks. :P  So step one, turn that broiler on! Step two is to prepare your dijon glaze.

In a bowl, mix your garlic, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Now, in my case, I went with a coarse ground mustard, so mine is not as much of a marinade as a paste-- and I LIKE it that way! Yours can be more or less dense, depending on your ingredients and individual tastes. Spoon or brush your chicken breasts evenly with the mustard-garlic mixture.

PROTIP: I like to use a lightly coated piece of foil to line my baking sheet, simply to minimize cleanup.

Your next step? Grill (or broil) chicken for 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. As with all poultry, you want an internal temperature of 165 degrees (salmonella is not your friend!). So keep an eye on that timer or thermometer, and stay close. In just a few minutes, you'll have a meal of tangy deliciousness.

All that's left is to pick your side! I tend to consume any carbs I have earlier in the day, so my body can utilize them for energy, as they are intended! So for me, dinner usually looks like this: protein + vegetable. For our meal, we went with some green beans to offset this yummy centerpiece. 5 minutes, of prep, 10 minutes to cook, 1 happy family.

In my challenge groups, I focus on giving you the tools to be successful with your meal plan, not only during the group but for life! we want lasting lifestyle changes-- and that doesn't mean starving or eating foods that don't taste good! We share recipes like this, along with motivation and support as we work through some amazing workouts. Want to join us? Message me! I have a group starting soon!

And one more thing I know you're wondering-- the NUTRITION! Now, if you know me, you know I don't calories, i follow the portion fix containers that make it easy for me to know how much of what to eat. If you follow that plan, you're looking at one red and 1 1/2 teaspoons per serving. Not too shabby! And if you aren't doing that plan, here's the old fashioned info: 

• Calories: 199 
• Total Fat: 10g 
• Carbohydrates: 2g 
• Protein: 24g

Perfect if you are following a ketogenic diet, a low carb lifestyle, or just plain like good food! And if you decide to make it, let me know what you think-- I'd love to hear from you! And if you're looking for support on your fitness journey, reach out. I'm here! As always, live healthy, live happy. Love, Amanda