Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Sesame Pesto

I loved this dish-so light and packed with protein from the chicken. The pesto gives the chicken a refreshing flavor with the cilantro and nutty bite from the sesame seeds. This was a fast and easy meal, took me probably 15 minutes of actual cooking (1 hour of marinading). Chicken tenders grill up quickly on the grill and the homemade pesto is a healthy alternative to store-bought pesto which is made with an oil base. This is the last of the huge cilantro bunch I had bought last week from a farmers market and I have to admit, cilantro truly brightens up your food and taste palate. Serve this alongside some rosemary thyme roasted potatoes or on top of couscous.

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Sesame Pesto

Serves 2

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/8 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tablespoon chili garlic paste

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 pound chicken tender

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves (1 bunch)

1 scallion, sliced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Whisk lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, chili paste and sugar in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl. Add chicken to the remaining marinade; toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Meanwhile, place cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and the reserved marinade in a food processor and process until fairly smooth.
4. Oil the grill rack. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade) and grill until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the chicken with the cilantro-sesame pesto.