Greek Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

• Lemon
• 8 Chicken Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 1 oz Container of Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley

Combine yogurt, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, juice of 1/2 lemon, and zest from 1/2 lemon in a bowl.  Mix well.  Pour over chicken and marinate for about 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken in baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes.  

I served with brown rice, and Zucchini Fritters.

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Greek Chicken Pitas

Last week Tracy had a Pampered Chef party and she raved about the Greek chicken pitas that they made. They had used the Pampered Chef Greek Rub and the Large Baker and cooked the chicken in the microwave. It sounded so yummy, but since I had neither the large baker or Greek rub, I set out on a mission to find an alternative way to make this dish.

I figured I could just use my corningware dish in the microwave. It's microwave safe and large enough to hold a few chicken breasts. I also figured I'd make a Greek rub with some fresh herbs and lemon, that way there's no sugar or food starch (both ingredients in the prepared version).

Greek Rub
Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

- 1Tbsp. Chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. I am only cooking this for me and my husband, so I just made 1 1/2 chicken breasts, you may want to double.

Place your chicken breasts in your dish and spread the rub evenly over each piece. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or longer. Set your microwave oven to 50% power and cook for 20 minutes or until internal temp is 165 degrees.

While the chicken is cooking, go ahead and prepare the tzatziki sauce. 

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:

- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

- 1/4 cup low fat sour cream

- 1/2 cucumber, seeded but not peeled

- 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

- juice of 1/2 lemon

- 1 tsp. dill weed

- 1 tsp. vinegar

- 1 tsp. Kosher salt

- 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store in fridge until ready to serve.

When chicken is fully cooked, cut/ shred with kitchen scissors or a knife. Warm whole wheat pita pockets in an oven until they are warm with a slight crisp. Serve chicken in pitas with sauce, feta cheese, red onions and tomatoes, or whatever toppings you like:)

Mediterranean Chicken Kabob Platter

This is a great healthy chicken recipe when you're looking for variety. As far as timing goes, I start soaking the rice first, then make the aioli and chicken marinade. I prepare the chicken kabobs and let sit in the fridge to marinate, and just chill the aioli. Then I start the rice and after rice has started to simmer, I start the chicken.

Mediterranean Rice Pilaf Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. butter
•  About 20 pieces of Spaghetti, broken into small pieces
•  2 cups Basmati rice
• 3 cups water (plus more for soaking rice)
•  Salt
•  2 Tbsp. toasted almonds
• Dash of cinnamon

Start of by washing your rice. If you don’t do this, you will get a very sticky rice. Place rice in a bowl of cold water and stir. Drain and continue to rinse with cold water. 

Refill the bowl with cold water and soak your rice for 15-30 minutes. In a large pan, melt butter and sauté the broken pieces of spaghetti until golden brown. Add the water and rice and cover with lid. Bring to a boil and stir once. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes (do not open lid again). Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and add salt, cinnamon and almonds.

Chicken Ingredients:

• 4 large skinless chicken breasts
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp coriander
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne
• Salt and black pepper

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. 

Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to form a paste. 

Toss chicken in the paste and marinade for at least 30 minutes. 

Place the chicken pieces on metal skewers and grill until chicken is 165 degrees. While the chicken is grilling, heat an empty large pot with lid on the stove. When you remove the chicken from the grill, place the skewers in the pot (removed from heat) and put on the lid. Leave the skewers in the pot for about 5 minutes. The steam that it creates makes the chicken super moist and perfect.

Garlic Aoili Sauce Recipe Ingredients

½ Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

      Dash lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, pressed with garlic press or crushed with mortar and pestle
½ tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve with chicken kabobs.

I also served this with Henderson Hummus.