Tim the "Chef": Grilled Chicken

Pairing a protein with a fruit or veggie is easy and gives your kid a balanced meal.

Total Time

33 minutes

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook time: 18 minutes

Cool down and pack: 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 lbs of boneless and skinless chicken thigh

olive oil

salt

garlic pepper

onion flakes

Prep

I like to lay a sheet of plastic wrap on my kitchen counter to season my chicken. Season both sides with salt, garlic pepper, and onion flakes. I'm pretty liberal with the garlic pepper and onion; I use less than 1 tsp of salt.

Cooking

I use low (3/10) heat for my cast iron. If I'm making more than a pound-and-a-half of chicken, I'll also have to use another pan, and I use medium (4/10) heat for that. I cook each side for 6 minutes, then lower the heat by one notch, and cook for another 3 minutes on both side. USDA recommends cooking chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Quantity

The chicken I buy states 120 calories per four ounce serving. In my 2 lb package, that usually means I have eight nearly equally sized chicken thighs. That's less than what I'm aiming for per protein portion right now, so I try to pair my chicken with a high calorie vegetable like corn, peas, or edamame.

Wrapping Up

When I'm done cooking the chicken, I transfer it all over to a plate for it to cool down. I'll store 3-4 portions in the refrigerator for the upcoming days, and freeze the rest.

Reheating

A little more than ten minutes before lunch or dinner, I'll place his prepped meal in a bowl on top of a steaming rack in a pot of shallow water. I'll turn it on high heat until the water starts to boil, and then lower to a medium heat. I leave it in the pot from start to finish for about eight minutes. Use great care taking out the bowl, or you could end up with some burns and a messy and dangerous situation. Let the food cool for a few minutes before serving as it'll get pretty hot in there.

Disclaimer

I’m just Tim the Dad. I’m not a pediatrician, dietician, or professional cook. Please consult all necessary professionals before taking my advice on anything!