August 19, 2019

Grilled Cilantro Chicken & Shrimp from The Whole30 Friends & Family

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.

Made By Whole30Made By Whole30

Grilled Cilantro Chicken & Shrimp from The Whole30 Friends & Family

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

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.
Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban is a 7x New York Times bestselling author (including the #1 bestselling The Whole30) who specializes in helping people establish healthy boundaries and successfully navigate habit change. She has been featured by the New York Times, People, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Today Show, and Good Morning America, and is a prominent keynote speaker on boundaries, building community, health trends, and entrepreneurship. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband, son, and a poodle named Henry.