Chef Melissa's Grilled Chicken Skewers with Orzo Salad
Grilled Chicken Skewers
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the tzatziki:
½ English (hothouse/seedless) cucumber
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (whole fat)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
Minced Italian parsley, mint, AND dill, about 2 tablespoons
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
To serve:
8 pita breads
olive oil
1–2 tsp dried oregano
1 tomato sliced
1 red onion sliced
romaine lettuce
salt and freshly ground pepper
8–9 wooden skewers
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1" pieces and place them in a large bowl, along with all the marinade ingredients. Use your hands to mix the ingredients well. Seal in a glass container with the Zwilling Fresh & Save and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- For the Tzatziki: Grate the cucumber on a box grater. Transfer to a fine mesh sieve and set over a medium bowl and toss the cucumber with a big pinch of salt. Let stand for 10 minutes and then press with a spoon to expel any remaining water.
- Transfer drained cucumber to a medium mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Taste and adjust oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper if desired.
- Assemble the chicken souvlaki skewers:
- Soak the skewers in water. (This will prevent them from burning.) Thread the chicken pieces, comfortably, on the skewers, leaving a small amount of space between each piece of chicken to allow even cooking.
- Preheat a grill or griddle pan on medium high heat. Cook the chicken souvlaki (skewers) for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until nicely browned on all sides and cooked through.
- While your chicken souvlaki is cooking, prepare the pita breads. Preheat the oven to 250. Use a cooking brush, oil the pita breads on both sides and season with salt and oregano. Place a large oven tray (upside down) at the bottom of the oven and place the pita breads on top of the tray. Bake for 2 minutes. (Alternatively, you can use a griddle pan or a grill.)
- To serve the chicken souvlaki (skewers), slice 2 red onions and place on a platter: top with the chicken souvlaki (skewers), drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve while still warm with pita breads and tzatziki sauce. You can also serve the chicken souvlaki (skewers) wrapped, like a sandwich. Spread some tzatziki sauce on the pita breads and top it with the chicken souvlaki (skewers), sliced onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and wrap.
Orzo Salad
1½ cups orzo pasta
1 recipe Greek Salad Dressing
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 Persian cucumbers, halved vertically, and sliced ¼-inch thick
2 cups chopped sun-dried tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into ¼-inch cubes
⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 cup fresh basil and/or mint leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente. Drain the orzo and toss it with a little olive oil, so that it doesn’t stick together. Spread onto a baking sheet to cool.
- Prepare the Greek Salad Dressing:
- Whisk together red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cooked orzo, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, red onion, and olives. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, add half the herbs, season with freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve.