Grilled Chicken with Avocado-Basil Sauce

Living in an apartment in a city where cooking on a grill requires a special city permit (only in New York!), I’ve learned to love my Lodge cast iron grill skillet. I use it all the time for quick dinners like this one made with marinated and grilled chicken breasts with a sauce. This Avocado-Basil Sauce is fantastic with fish, shrimp, or scallops, too.

Grilled Chicken with Avocado-Basil Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Chicken & Marinade

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons grated lime zest

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Avocado-Basil Sauce

1 ripe medium avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 slender green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water

Lime wedges

To make the chicken, combine the basil, lime zest and juice, olive oil, and garlic in a shallow glass dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

Preheat the grill or a cast iron grill pan to medium heat.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle with the salt. Brush the grill rack or the grill pan with a small amount of canola oil. Place the chicken on the grill rack or in the grill pan and grill, turning occasionally, until the juices of the chicken run clear, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the avocado, basil, lime juice, green onion, salt, and hot sauce in a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the water and pulse to combine. Process the sauce until smooth, adding additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. You can make the sauce up a day ahead. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the sauce to prevent it from browning and refrigerate.

Serve the chicken with the Avocado-Basil Sauce and lime wedges.

Each serving: 6 g carbohydrate, 225 calories, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 24 g protein, 273 mg sodium

Carb Choices: 1/2; Exchanges: 1/2 carb, 3 lean protein, 2 fat