Greek Night

Lately we've been eating Greek salads. We generally eat a low-sodium diet, so kalamatas and feta are a treat. To round out the meal, I typically marinate & grill a butterflied chicken breast, that we split, and add a small grilled potato or some brown rice. It's a simple meal that uses ingredients we usually have on hand and takes about an hour to prepare.

From a workflow perspective, first I prepare the chicken and get it marinating in the refrigerator. Then I cut the veggies for the Greek salad and get them marinating. While those sit, I prepare lettuce for the salad and halve a couple of small potatoes, that I microwave for 4-5 minutes for finishing on the grill. I preheat the grill and then grill the potatoes and chicken together. While that happens, I set the table, toss the Greek salad and get the plates ready.

Here are the recipes:

Greek Salad for 4:
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons wine and/or balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

cucumber, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise
tomato, cut into wedges
yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
red onion, thinly sliced
pitted kalmata olives
Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

feta cheese, crumbled

Use vegetable and cheese proportions to your taste. Don't be afraid to vary them or make substitutions, based on what you have in your refrigerator and pantry.

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, oregano and lemon peel in a bowl to blend. Add cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, onion and olives, and allow to marinate for 1/2 hour. Add lettuce and toss to mix and coat. Serve and sprinkle with the feta.

Greek Chicken for 4
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons dried oregano
2 large chicken breasts, butterflied

In a shallow baking dish, mix the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and oregano. Place the chicken in the dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1/2 hr to 3 hrs. Grill the chicken on high indirect heat until it's done (5 min per side for our grill). Slice into strips and serve.