another favorite. [greek chicken w. lemon butter orzo]

January 14th, 2021 by | comments

For some reason, I don’t cook or eat Greek food very often and I’m not sure why, because I’m a big fan. From the fresh ingredients to the vibrant colors to the delicious sauces, you can’t go wrong. This Greek bowl is fairly simple to make and packed with flavor. I was too lazy to make pita bread to serve alongside the bowl, but it would of course be a fantastic addition!


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greek chicken with lemon butter orzo
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2-4
 
Ingredients
  • Greek chicken marinade recipe:
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • ⅓ cup plain low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 lemons
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • Orzo recipe:
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 lemon, sliced, plus 3-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • Whipped feta recipe:
  • 4 oz. feta cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. plain low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Garnish:
  • ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved then marinated in 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar for 15-20 minutes and seasoned with salt and pepper
  • Arugula
  • Cucumber, sliced
  • Crumbled feta
Instructions
  1. For the chicken marinade:
  2. Place the chicken pieces in a large Ziploc bag and set aside.
  3. Add the yogurt and olive oil to a medium bowl. Zest one of the lemons and add to the bowl, then add the juice from that same lemon. Add the lemon juice from the remaining 2 lemons to the bowl.
  4. Next, add the garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper, and stir everything together.
  5. Pour half of the marinade into the Ziploc bag with the chicken pieces and reserve the other half of the marinade for basting and garnish. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator, but do not marinate much longer.
  6. Once ready to cook the chicken, heat an indoor grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then drizzle pan with olive oil.
  7. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook and brown the chicken pieces on both sides, basting one time with the reserved marinade. Once chicken pieces are cooked through, set aside on a plate until the remaining pieces are cooked.
  8. For the orzo:
  9. While chicken is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, add the lemon slices and sear until golden on each side, approximately 2-4 minutes. Remove lemon slices from the pan and set aside.
  10. To the same skillet, add 1 clove garlic and the dry orzo. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the orzo is toasted, about 2-3 minutes.
  11. Add 2½ cups water and 1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
  12. For the whipped feta:
  13. Combine all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  14. For serving:
  15. To serve, spread the whipped feta onto plates, then add the lemon butter orzo, seared lemons, and Greek chicken. Garnish with arugula, tomatoes, cucumber and crumbled feta. Drizzle chicken and orzo with reserved marinade, if desired.
Notes
Greek chicken marinade adapted from Foodie Crush.
Lemon butter orzo and whipped feta adapted from Half Baked Harvest.

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