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Grilled Chicken with Almond and Garlic Sauce

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Grilled Chicken with Almond and Garlic SauceCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

For the best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight. If you're short of time, use a 15-ounce can of cannellini or lima beans instead of the dried beans. With this rich, garlicky sauce, you need only a fresh salad to complete the meal.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

Sauce

9 ounces dried large white beans, such as lima beans
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Scant 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cold-pressed flaxseed oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Chicken

2 spring chickens (poussins), (about 2 pounds each)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, or oregano
Lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    1. For the sauce, soak the beans in a generous amount of water overnight.

    Step 2

    2. Using poultry sheers, cut each chicken along the backbone and remove as much of the backbone as possible. Press the chickens with your fist to flatten them slightly and then place them in a large glass dish that will fit in the refrigerator.

    Step 3

    3. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, wine, garlic, onion, and some salt and pepper in a blender and purée to make a paste. Spread the paste over the chicken and massage it into the meat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or, preferably, overnight.

  2. Step 4

    4. The next day, drain the beans, put them in a saucepan, and add enough fresh water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat, and simmer the beans until completely soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain well.

    Step 5

    5. Put the beans, almonds, garlic, and vinegar in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Gradually add the olive oil and lemon juice through the hole in the lid, processing to a thick sauce. Add the flaxseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

    Step 6

    6. Preheat the broiler until very hot, prepare the grill, or preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Step 7

    7. Wipe away excess marinade from the chicken, then cook under the broiler, on the barbecue or in a roasting pan in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 minutes. Test by piercing the thickest part of the flesh with a knife: when the chicken is cooked, the juices will run clear.

    Step 8

    8. Cut the chickens in half, sprinkle with the herbs, and serve with the sauce and lemon wedges.

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 450.0 calories
170.0 calories from fat
19.0 g total fat
2.5 g saturated fat
0.0 mg cholesterol
380.0 mg sodium
54.0 g total carbs
12.0 g dietary fiber
9.0 g sugars
19.0 g protein
#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook
using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )
Reprinted with permission from Eating the Greek Way: More Than 100 Fresh and Delicious Recipes from Some of the Healthiest People in the World by Dr. Fedon Alexander Lindberg. Copyright © 2007 by Dr. Fedon Alexander Lindberg. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Fedon Alexander Lindberg, M.D.,was born and raised in Greece, where he learned to appreciate the good things in life. The genetic propensity to diabetes in his family led him to become a specialist in internal medicine and endocrine disorders. Having pursued his postdoctorate fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, he now runs four highly successful clinics in Norway, where he lives. A household name in Scandinavia, Dr. Lindberg is also an enthusiastic cook and food writer with several bestselling books, including The Greek Doctor’s Diet. This is his first cookbook to be published in the United States.
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