Pressed Grilled Chicken with Luscious Tomatillo Sauce

Jan 02, 2019, Updated Nov 13, 2020

Lightening up after the Holidays ~ Marinated, Pressed Grilled Chicken with a Zesty Tomatillo Sauce over Quinoa with Veggies – low in calories, high in flavor

This quick Tomatillo Sauce is blistered in a pan, then pureed in a blender – chunky or smooth. Tomatillos have a faintly tart, lemon-like essence.

The holidays are over – now it’s back to basics, making nutritious meals for every day life.

**Ingredients for the quick sauce: Tomatillos, green hot chiles, garlic and lime juice**

I love this technique for chicken; marinate boneless breasts, cook in a grill pan with a weight on top (my cast iron skillet did the job) for succulent restaurant-quality pressed chicken.

The Tomatillo is a nightshade plant that bears small globular fruits wrapped in a husk. The fruit resembles a small tomato; hence, early European explorers coined the name ‘tomatillo.’ They are not considered exotic anymore. I bought mine at my local Shoprite supermarket! I advise you to buy them in a market that has a high turnover, or Mexican population. Look for firm tomatillos (I peak inside their papery husks to look at the color)… I find the darker green ones are the ripest with the best flavor.

Although tomatillos closely resemble tomatoes, they do not contain lycopene. On the other hand, tomatillos contain a different type of antioxidant phytochemical known as withanolide. Tomatillos possess a notable amount of dietary fiber just like most vegetables, making it beneficial to digestive health.

Each tomatillo is only about 10 calories – makes a great full-flavored sauce that’s easy on the waistline.