Traditional Greek recipes from the Dodecanese islands of the MediterraneanGreek Grilled Marinated Chicken
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
2 tablespoons dried oregano, crumbled
2 to 3 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces.
In a large shallow dish, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic & oregano with salt & pepper to taste.
Add chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate for 2 days, covered and chilled.
Turn chicken pieces twice each day. Drain chicken pieces, reserving marinade.
Grill skin side down over glowing coals ,basting with marinade for 30-35 minutes, turning once (chicken breast should be just springy to the touch).
Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter to keep warm. Continue grilling remaining chicken for about 10 more minutes or until thigh meat is tender.
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My Greek Summer Chicken Kebabs
1 ½-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2-3 lemons, juice of
¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
10-15 mint leaves (additional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 large red onion
If using wooden or bamboo skewers soak at least 1/2 hour in advance.
Prepare grill to med-high heat. Cube chicken breasts into approximately 1.5" pieces.
Place in a zip lock bag and ¼ cup oil, chopped herbs, lemon juice (reserve about 1 tsp juice set aside), garlic salt and pepper.
Press out as much air as you can and seal. Allow meat to marinate for about 15-20 minutes. (Reserve 2 tablespoons oil for brushing while grilling).
In a small bowl whisk 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tsp lemon juice.
Cut onion into large (1" chunks for skewering. Skewer a piece of onion, a piece of chicken then a mint leaf. Continue repeating this pattern until the skewer is nearly full.
(Do not push pieces together they should be a little loose on the skewer.)
Grill over medium high heat (or medium high coals) turning occasionally and brushing with olive oil/lemon mixture until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
Very nice served with rice pilaf and/or some grilled eggplant.
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Chicken Souvlaki
1-2 pounds chicken breast
1-third cup Olive oil
1-third cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Oregano
2 dried red chillies
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Metal or wooden skewers
Pita or flatbread
Pound the chicken with a mallet to tenderize and give them an even thickness. Trim away visible fat and tendons. Cut the chicken into strips crosswise about an inch wide. Whisk the rest of the ingredients together. Marinate in a large Ziploc bag or bowl in the refrigerator a couple of hours before cooking or the morning of. If using wooden skewers soak in water for a half hour or so before grilling. Skewer each piece twice lengthwise. Grill on all sides until cooked through. Serve on warm pita with tzatziki sauce and dressing.
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced small
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Drain your Greek yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel for a few hours before or overnight. Combine all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.
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Piperies Gemistes - Stuffed Peppers
This traditional Greek dish was intended to feed an average Greek family including Grandpa and Grandma.
2 lbs ground chicken - though this recipe originally calls for - ground lean ground beef
12 red peppers, washed, tops cut and inside cored
2 medium onions, diced
1-3rd cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh mint, finely chopped
1 cup of good tomato sauce
¼ cup Arborio rice
salt and pepper to taste
Wash then cut the tops off your peppers. Hollow out the peppers to rid them of
any ribs or seeds. Put aside.
Place a large skillet on your stove and heat under medium high heat. Pour in your
olive oil then add the onions and garlic and lower to medium heat and simmer for
10 minutes to soften the onions.
Add your parsley, dill, mint and the tomato sauce and simmer until most of the liquid is gone and you have a thick mixture. Take off the heat and allow to cool
for 5 minutes.
Add your rice and ground chicken to the onion/herb mixture and mix everything using a wooden spoon. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper and mix. To ensure the seasoning is correct, take a spoonful of the mixture and fry it or cook it in the microwave to taste for seasoning. Afterwards, adjust the seasoning in the mixture to your liking.
Using a spoon, stuff your peppers and line the bottom of a roasting pot. Pour 1 cup of water over the peppers and place them in a preheated 375F oven for 1 hour.