Tahini-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Cucumber and Tomato Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

Chicken:

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste), well stirred

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 small shallot, finely grated

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lb.)

Cooking spray

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Salad:

1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber

1 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup pepitas (toast pumpkin seeds)

3-4 cups cooked quinoa (cooled)

Directions

Step 1: To prepare chicken, combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl (through shallot). Place 1/4 cup tahini mixture in a small bowl; reserve. Place remaining tahini mixture and chicken in a large ziplock plastic bag; seal, turning to coat chicken. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Step 2: Preheat grill to medium (350°F to 450°F). Coat grill grate with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt. Arrange chicken on grill grate; cover and cook 4-6 minutes on each side or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Arrange chicken on a platter; drizzle with reserved 1/4 cup tahini mixture.

Step 3: To prepare the salad, combine cucumber and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a bowl; toss gently to combine.

Tips

Prepare marinade and quinoa night prior to allow for marinade time and cooling time

To avoid overcooking the chicken, utilize a meat thermometer inserted to the thickest portion of the chicken thigh

Recommend using Persian or English cucumbers with seeds removed (cut in half length-wise, scrape out seeds with spoon before chopping) to reduce moisture and preserve leftovers for longer.

Yummy salad add-ins could include grilled corn kernels, blanched green beans, chopped red onion, garbanzo beans, or feta cheese

Nutritional Information

●Calories 448 ● Fat 18.6g ● Satfat 3.5g ● Monofat 9g ● Polyfat 31g ● Protein 39g ● Carbohydrate 31g ● Fiber 4g ● Cholesterol 160mg ● Iron 4mg ● Sodium 544mg ● Calcium 76mg ● Sugars 3g ● Est. added sugars 0g

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.