It’s summer, it’s hot, you’re tired and you don’t want to cook. What do you do for dinner? Takeout again? Cereal? Or, do you simply not cook, hoping your kids didn’t notice dinner time came and went?
I recently was talking to my friend April and we were both complaining about how we were hungry, but didn’t want to cook. We were both eating things that just didn’t cut it — my choice was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, while April was having peanut butter pretzels.
This made me think about creating an easy, refreshing dish that everyone would like. This is what I came up with, and it’s simple and kid-friendly. Plus, you do the cooking outside, instead of making your house hotter than it already is.
SIZZLING SUMMER CHICKEN
Start to finish: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
4 chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
8 slices provolone cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup zesty Italian dressing
3 Roma tomatoes, diced with seeds and gel removed
Balsamic vinegar for garnish
In a small bowl, combine garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and zesty Italian dressing. Whisk to combine. Transfer to a large resealable bag. Add chicken. Seal and chill for 30 minutes, or for up to 24 hours.
Transfer chicken to a preheated grill and discard excess marinade. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, combine tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. While chicken is still on grill, top each breast with 2 slices of provolone and grill until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Top chicken with tomato mixture, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.
If you need a side dish or want to make this dish more substantial, serve the chicken over warm or cold pasta (tossed with a little zesty Italian dressing), or even serve over lettuce. For a hearty snack, slice the chicken and serve as a crostini or bruschetta.
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