Mustard, Lemon, and Coriander Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 3 T + 2 T olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 T + 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T finely chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard, ground coriander, 1 T lemon juice, and 3 T olive oil until you have a smooth marinade for the chicken.
2. Trim away any visible fat and tendons from the chicken breasts, and if one part is much thicker than another, trim them a bit so they’re close to even. You can also give the breasts a light pounding to even them out.
3. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
4. Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag or a plastic container with a lid, pour the marinade over it, and let it sit in the fridge for several hours or even all day.
5. When it’s time to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge, throw away the marinade, and let the chicken warm up toward room temperature while you get the grill or grill pan ready.
6. Coat the grill pan or outdoor grill grates with olive oil or non-stick grill spray, using a brush or rubbing it on, then heat the grill pan or grill to medium high. At that heat, you should only be able to hold your hand over it for a few seconds.
7. To get those criss-cross grill marks, place the chicken on the diagonal across the grill ridges or grates and cook until the first marks begin to show, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the chicken 45 degrees so it runs diagonally the other direction, then cook 2-3 minutes more, until the second set of marks appears. You can lift an edge to peek and see how the marks are coming along.
8. Once the first side has good grill marks, flip the chicken and keep grilling until it’s cooked through and feels firm, but not hard, when you press it, about 4-5 minutes more. You may want to lower the heat just a little after turning it. If you’re using an instant-read meat thermometer, the chicken should reach 165F/75C inside.
9. Move the chicken to a clean cutting board and let it rest 5-10 minutes, tenting it with foil if you like.
10. While the chicken is resting, wash and dry the basil, then slice it into thin strips and chop it finely.
11. Whisk together 2 T olive oil and 2 T lemon juice, mix in the chopped basil, and season the vinaigrette with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
12. For serving, slice the chicken pieces on a slight angle, place the slices on a serving plate, and drizzle the lemon-basil vinaigrette over the top.