11. Grilled Chicken Thighs with Spring Onions and Baby Bok Choy
This healthy chicken recipe stays nice and juicy while packing in flavor thanks to bone-in chicken thighs. Grilled bok choy and homemade relish complete the meal. If you can’t find spring onions (bulb onions harvested before the bulb swells), you can substitute ramps or green onions here as well.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and chopped
- ½ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
- 1 small shallot, minced or thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 heads baby bok choy, halved or 2 heads bok choy, quartered lengthwise
- 24 spring onions, green onions, or ramps
Directions
For relish: In a small bowl stir together eggs, 1/2 cup olive oil, the Dijon mustard, vinegar, capers, shallot, dill, and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper.
Season chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Grill skin-side down, covered, directly over medium 7 minutes or until golden brown. Move chicken off direct heat. Grill over indirect heat 20 to 25 minutes more or until cooked through (175°F).
Meanwhile, drizzle bok choy with a little olive oil and season with salt. Grill cut sides down directly over medium 3 minutes or until leaves are slightly charred. Move bok choy off direct heat.
Drizzle spring onions with olive oil. Season with salt. Grill onions with bulbs directly over medium and leaves over indirect heat so they don’t singe.
Transfer chicken thighs, bok choy, and onions to serving platter. Serve with the relish. Serves 4.
Tips
Spring onions are bulb onions harvested before the bulb swells. Green onions are a good substitute. Or look for ramps, a wild spring allium also known as wild leeks.
12. Power Kale Salad
A main-dish salad is as nutritious as it is filling. Kale, a healthier swap for lettuce, has a good amount of fiber, and you can’t beat the leanness of a baked chicken. Even the dressing is healthy; the pomegranate-blueberry juice and cherries are full of antioxidants.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs.)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 seedless tangerines or oranges
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ cup dried tart red cherries
- ½ cup pomegranate-blueberry juice blend
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 ounce green or purple kale leaves, shredded (4 cups)
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 red or green pear, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush chicken with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Finely shred 2 tsp. peel from the tangerines. Peel tangerines; slice crosswise and set aside. Sprinkle chicken with tangerine peel, 1/4 tsp. of the salt, and 1/4 tsp. of the pepper. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until done (165ºF). Transfer to a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place cherries in a small microwave-safe bowl. Add pomegranate-blueberry juice; microwave 30 seconds. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain cherries, reserving juice; set cherries aside.
For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together reserved juice, remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil, vinegar, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper. Pour half of the dressing into a large bowl. Add kale and onion; toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter.
Slice chicken; arrange over kale mixture with tangerines and pear. Top with cherries and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with remaining dressing.