Lemony Dill-ight Dinner—Dinner for 4

“Lemony Dill-ight Dinner” is a refreshing Mediterranean dinner dish, featuring a succulent main course generously drizzled with a tangy lemon-dill sauce. The vibrant flavors of fresh lemon and dill perfectly complement each other, creating an aromatic and delightful culinary experience for any dinner occasion.

Meal Type

Dinner

Cuisine

Mediterranean

Servings

4

Food Stars

Lemon, dill

Health

Variations

Diets

Variations

You Need This Stuff

  • 4 pieces boneless chicken breast
  • 2 whole lemons, juiced
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 whole cucumber, sliced
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 cups couscous, cooked

Do This With That Stuff

  1. ‘Gather all your ingredients and cookware
  2. Place your 4 pieces of boneless chicken breast on the cutting board
  3. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper using your hands, ensuring an even spread
  4. In the medium bowl, combine the juice of 2 whole lemons, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, 3 cloves minced garlic, and 1/4 cup olive oil Use the citrus juicer for juicing the lemons and grater for zesting Mix well with a spoon to create your marinade
  5. Add the seasoned chicken breasts to this marinade Ensure they are fully coated by turning them over a few times with tongs or a spatula Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes
  6. While the chicken is marinating, prepare your salad In a large bowl combine 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber from one whole cucumber, 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese from a block measuring about 1/4 cup Toss gently with a spoon to mix well
  7. Heat your large skillet over medium heat Once hot, add the marinated chicken breasts using tongs or a spatula Cook each side for about 6-7 minutes or until fully cooked through and golden brown on both sides
  8. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet using tongs or a spatula and place them on a serving platter
  9. Serve each cooked chicken breast on dinner plates along with an equal portion of salad and half a cup of cooked couscous per plate’

Obvious and Not So Obvious Variations and Pairings

☕ Bitter
  • ‘Add 1 tbsp of chopped radicchio to the salad
  • Increase fresh dill to 4 tbsp
  • Add 1/2 cup of arugula to the salad
  • Include 1/4 cup of capers in the salad
  • Add a garnish of lemon peel strips on top of the chicken before serving’
🧂 Salty
  • Increase the salt to 2 tsp
  • Add 1 tsp of soy sauce to the marinade
  • Increase Kalamata olives to 1 cup
  • Increase feta cheese to 1/2 cup
  • Add 1/2 tsp of sea salt flakes as a garnish before serving
🍋 Sour
  • Increase the lemon juice to 3 whole lemons, juiced
  • Add 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar to the marinade
  • Add 1/2 cup of capers to the salad
  • Replace half of the olive oil with 1/8 cup of lemon-infused olive oil
  • Sprinkle each serving with an additional 1 tsp of lemon zest before serving
🌶️ Spicy
  • Add 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade
  • Add 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper to the chicken seasoning
  • Include 1 chopped jalapeno to the salad
  • Increase garlic to 4 cloves in the marinade
🍬 Sweet
  • Add 1 tbsp honey to the marinade
  • Increase lemon zest to 2 tbsp for added sweetness and citrus flavor
  • Add 1/4 cup of raisins to the salad for a sweet contrast
  • Add 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper to the salad for additional sweetness
  • Replace half of the Kalamata olives with sweet green olives
🍄 Umami
  • ‘Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce to the marinade
  • Add 1/2 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the salad
  • Add 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the couscous
  • Replace olive oil with 1/4 cup of sesame oil in the marinade
  • Add 1 tsp of fish sauce to the marinade’
🍸 Alcoholic
  • ‘Assyrtiko Wine: The crisp acidity and citrus notes of this Greek white wine complement the lemony, dill flavors of the dish
  • Sauvignon Blanc: This wine’s high acidity and herbaceous qualities pair well with the fresh dill and lemon in the recipe
  • Ouzo: This anise-flavored Greek liqueur can be a bold choice to pair with the Mediterranean flavors, especially the Kalamata olives and feta cheese in the salad’
🥤 Non Alcoholic
  • ‘Lemon Mint Iced Tea: The refreshing citrus notes of this drink complement the lemon and dill in the dish, while the mint adds a fresh contrast to the savory chicken
  • Cucumber Water: The light, refreshing taste of cucumber water pairs well with the Mediterranean flavors in the dish, and it also mirrors one of the salad ingredients for a harmonious pairing
  • Pomegranate Juice: The sweet and slightly tart flavor of pomegranate juice provides a nice balance to the savory elements of this dish, and is also a common beverage in Mediterranean cuisine’
IMPORTANT NOTE: Artificial Intelligence created this—this means the following may or may not be correct or accurate. If following a specific diet is critical to your health and well-being due to ailments or health conditions, please consult your doctor before trying any of these variations.

🥓 Keto
  • Remove 2 cups couscous, cooked
  • Add 2 cups cauliflower rice, cooked
  • Remove 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • Add 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
🍆 Mediterranean
  • Add 1/2 cup chopped red onion to salad
  • Add 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper to salad
  • Replace 2 cups cooked couscous with 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • Add 1 tsp oregano to marinade
  • Add 1 tbsp capers to salad
  • Replace feta cheese with 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
🥑 Paleo
  • ‘Remove feta cheese
  • Replace couscous with 2 cups of cauliflower rice’
🐟 Pescatarian
  • ‘Replace 4 pieces boneless chicken breast with 4 fillets of white fish, such as cod or halibut’
🌱 Vegan
  • ‘Replace 4 pieces boneless chicken breast with 4 pieces of firm tofu
  • Replace 1/4 cup feta cheese with 1/4 cup vegan feta cheese’
🥦 Vegetarian
  • Remove 4 pieces boneless chicken breast
  • Add 4 pieces of firm tofu
  • Increase olive oil to 1/3 cup for pan-frying tofu
🥩 Whole30
  • ‘Remove feta cheese
  • Replace couscous with 2 cups of cauliflower rice, cooked’
IMPORTANT NOTE: Artificial Intelligence created this—this means the following may or may not be correct or accurate. If following a specific diet is critical to your health and well-being due to ailments or health conditions, please consult your doctor before trying any of these variations.

🧠 Brain Health
  • ‘Add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the salad
  • Add 1 tbsp of flaxseeds to the salad
  • Replace half of the couscous with 1 cup of cooked quinoa
  • Add 1/2 cup of blueberries to the salad
  • Add 1 piece of avocado, sliced, to the salad’
🌾 Celiac Disease
  • ‘Replace 2 cups couscous with 2 cups cooked quinoa’
💩 Crohns Disease
  • ‘Remove garlic
  • Remove cucumber
  • Remove Kalamata olives
  • Decrease the fresh dill to 1 tbsp
  • Replace couscous with cooked white rice’
🩸 Diabetes
  • ‘Replace couscous with 2 cups of cooked quinoa
  • Decrease olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Replace feta cheese with 1/4 cup of low-fat feta cheese’
🍞 Gluten Intolerance
  • ‘Replace 2 cups couscous with 2 cups cooked quinoa’
🫀 Heart Disease
  • Decrease olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Remove feta cheese
  • Replace salt with 1/2 tsp of a sodium-free alternative
  • Add 1 cup of chopped bell peppers
  • Add 1/2 cup of chopped red onions
  • Increase cucumber to 1.5 whole, sliced
  • Increase cherry tomatoes to 1.5 cups, halved
❤️ Heart Health
  • ‘Reduce olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Replace salt with 1/2 tsp of potassium chloride (salt substitute)
  • Increase fresh dill to 4 tbsp
  • Add 1 cup of chopped spinach to the salad
  • Replace feta cheese with 1/4 cup of low-fat feta cheese
  • Replace couscous with 2 cups of cooked quinoa’
🧂 High Blood Pressure
  • Remove 1 tsp salt
  • Replace 1/2 tsp black pepper with 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Replace 1/4 cup olive oil with 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Add 1 tbsp of sodium-free lemon pepper seasoning
  • Add 2 cloves of garlic, minced, to the salad for extra flavor without adding sodium
🍔 High Cholesterol
  • Remove feta cheese
  • Replace olive oil with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
  • Replace 4 pieces boneless chicken breast with 4 pieces of skinless chicken breast
  • Increase cucumber to 1.5 whole cucumbers
  • Add 1 cup of mixed greens
🦠 Immune System
  • Add 1 tbsp of chopped ginger
  • Add 1/2 cup of sliced bell peppers
  • Increase fresh dill to 4 tbsp
  • Replace 1 cup couscous with 1 cup quinoa
  • Add 1/2 cup of spinach
  • Add 1/4 cup of chopped almonds
🚽 Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • ‘Remove garlic
  • Replace couscous with cooked quinoa
  • Decrease the olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Remove feta cheese
  • Replace Kalamata olives with black olives’
💧 Kidney Disease
  • ‘Remove the salt
  • Decrease the olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Remove the Kalamata olives
  • Replace feta cheese with a low-sodium cheese like mozzarella, using only 1/8 cup
  • Replace couscous with cooked quinoa, serving 1/2 cup per plate’
🐄 Lactose Intolerance
  • Remove feta cheese
🍺 Liver Disease
  • ‘Remove salt
  • Decrease olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Replace boneless chicken breast with 4 pieces of skinless turkey breast
  • Remove feta cheese
  • Replace couscous with 2 cups of cooked quinoa’
🤰 Pregnancy
  • Remove feta cheese
  • Replace Kalamata olives with black olives
  • Decrease olive oil to 2 tbsp
  • Increase cucumber to 1.5 whole cucumbers
  • Add 1 cup of cooked lentils to the salad

Beti’s Reflections

Picture this: I’m strolling through the bustling markets of Santorini, the air filled with the scent of fresh herbs and citrus. A local chef shares his family’s secret recipe for a Mediterranean Dill Chicken that’s been passed down through generations. Intrigued, I bring it back to my kitchen, add a twist of my own, and voila! The Lemony Dill-ight Dinner was born.

This Lemony Chicken Recipe is a refreshing Mediterranean delight that serves four people. It’s an easy marinated chicken dinner that will transport your taste buds straight to Greece! However, if you’re on a lactose-free diet or have any allergies to dairy products, you might want to skip the feta cheese.

The magic of this dish lies in its ingredients: succulent boneless chicken breasts marinated in a tangy lemon-dill sauce made from fresh lemons and dill, olive oil, and garlic – all key players in any healthy Mediterranean chicken dish. The cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives and feta cheese come together to create a vibrant Greek salad that pairs perfectly with the lemony dill chicken and fluffy couscous.

To start this easy Lemony Dill-ight Dinner recipe, season your chicken breasts evenly with salt and pepper before immersing them in a homemade marinade of lemon juice, zest, fresh dill, minced garlic and olive oil – your kitchen will smell divine! While the chicken soaks up these flavors for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better), prepare your salad by tossing together cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese. Once your chicken is well-marinated, cook it until golden brown on both sides in a hot skillet. Serve each piece alongside an equal portion of salad and cooked couscous for a complete Mediterranean meal.

And there you have it – a Lemony Dill-ight Dinner that’s not only a healthy couscous meal but also an aromatic culinary experience. It’s the perfect dinner recipe with feta for those nights when you want to escape to the Mediterranean without leaving your kitchen. So, why wait? Dive into this Mediterranean dill chicken adventure and let your taste buds set sail!

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Editors Note:

This recipe has not yet been reviewed by a human.

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