Enjoy this preview recipe from Melissa’s new cookbook, The Whole30 Friends & Family —it’s the perfect entree for your end-of-summer cookout.
The Whole30 Friends & Family is available now wherever books are sold. It features 22 menus for everyday social occasions, so you can confidently host your friends & family—for BBQs, holidays, and even Oscar night—while sticking to your Whole30 commitment.
Try a Recipe from the Book Today: Grilled Cilantro Chicken & Shrimp
The classic backyard barbecue already includes Whole30-friendly fare like salads, fruit, and grilled meats, chicken, and seafood. This elevated BBQ recipe was contributed by Healthy Little Peach blogger Ashley McCrary. The rest of Ashley’s Southern-inspired menu in The Whole30 Friends & Family includes her Grilled Steak and Peach Salad, a peach-infused iced tea, barbecue-sauced meatballs, Buffalo chicken burgers, and itty-bitty hamburgers served on crispy fried plantain buns with jalapeño relish, plus options for fresh and crunchy salads.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 ⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
- 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
For the guacamole
- 3 ripe medium avocados halved and pitted
- 1 medium tomato cored, seeded, and chopped 1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 ⁄4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
For the chicken and shrimp
- 24 large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Tajín seasoning*
- Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- MAKE THE CILANTRO MARINADE: For the marinade, in a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, pepper, salt, olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, and garlic. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Place the chicken breasts in 2 large resealable plastic bags; add half of the marinade to each bag. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour but no more than 2 hours.
- MAKE THE GUACAMOLE: Meanwhile, scoop the avocado flesh into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork. Stir in the tomato, onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- MAKE THE CHICKEN AND SHRIMP: Preheat the grill to high. Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Arrange the chicken on a grill rack. Grill, turning once halfway through, until cooked ( 165°F ), 14 to 15 minutes.
- MEANWHILE, place the shrimp in a large bowl. Drizzle the lime juice over the shrimp and toss to coat. Sprinkle the Tajín seasoning over the shrimp and toss to coat.
- TRANSFER the chicken to a large platter; tent with foil to keep warm. Add the shrimp to the grill. Cook, turning once halfway through, until trans- lucent and pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
- SERVE the chicken with the shrimp and guacamole. Top with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
- *Tajín seasoning is a shortcut to great flavor in this recipe. It’s a popular seasoning blend in Mexico and is often sprinkled on mango or melon. The only ingredients are dried and ground chiles, salt, and dehydrated lime juice—so it’s totally compatible.
