Grilled Italian Chicken and Veggies

Grill a veggie-rich chicken dinner. A grill basket is the secret helper. ...MORE + LESS -

3 to 3 1/2 lb (1.5 to 2 kg) cut-up broiler-fryer chicken, skin removed if desired

3/4 cup (175 mL) zesty Italian dressing

1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground pepper

1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces

1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces

1 medium sweet onion (such as Bermuda or Spanish) cut into 16 thin wedges

4 medium plum (Roma) tomatoes, thinly sliced or coarsely chopped

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh basil leaves or parsley

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1

Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Place chicken in shallow pan. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the dressing; turn to coat. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
2

Mix bell peppers, onion, remaining 1/4 cup dressing and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl; toss to coat. Place vegetables in grill basket (grill/wok), using slotted spoon; reserve dressing in bowl.
3

Remove chicken from pan; reserve dressing in pan. Place chicken, skin sides up, on grill over medium heat. Cover and grill 40 to 50 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with dressing remaining in shallow pan, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Add grill basket to grill during last 15 minutes of grilling; grill, shaking basket or stirring vegetables occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
4

Add tomatoes, basil and grilled vegetables to bowl with dressing; toss to coat. Serve vegetables with chicken.

Substitution: Red and green bell peppers are excellent in this recipe, too. Use just one colour of pepper, or create a splash by using a mix of red, green, orange and yellow.
Substitution: Instead of the cut-up broiler-fryer chicken, substitute 4 bone-in chicken breast halves.
Tip: Prepare the chicken ahead by marinating it in the dressing for 1 to 2 hours before grilling. You also can cut up the veggies, but do not add them to the dressing until just before grilling.