Greek Chicken and Tzatziki

I love Greece! I beautiful place, full of history, great architecture, wonderful food....and unfortunately loads of monetary problems. The news has been so full Greece news lately...most of it not very good, but the constant screen shots of the Acropolis and interviews on the streets with average Greeks reminds me of the two lovely trips I took there. now, while I can't visit Greece right now I can certainlky whip up a batch of easy Greek chicken and homemade tzatziki!

This recipe is quick to throw together and perfect on a hot day when all you really want to do is pour a nice glass of chilled wine and not much else. :)

Greek Chicken Marinade

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled- your choice, I use whatever I have on hand)

4 cloves garlic, whole but smashed

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

zest of 1 lemon (optional, but it does make it so much better

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a gallon size zip top bag or a shallow baking dish and leave to marinate at least 1 hour, but if you have all day thats even better!

Now Preheat your grill to 400F 

Once hot, grill chicken about 10 minutes per side and cook until internal temperature reaches 160F in the thickest part of the breast.

Remove from the grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes for the meat to rest.

Now for the Tzatziki!

Tzatziki

1 large container Greek Yogurt, your choice of full fat, 2%, or nonfat 

1 large English Cucumber, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 tsp cumin (not traditional but i love it)

1/8 c. minced parsley (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

First off, grate the cucumber and drain it either in your hands or in a clean tea towel. This step is important. If you skip it  your tzatziki will be watery and the flavor will be diluted.

After draining the cucumber, combine all the ingredients and taste- adjust seasoning and serve with the grilled chicken, a greek salad, and pita bread. 

Hope you enjoy - opah!

K