Greek | A Hint of Honey

Greek Couscous Salad with Chicken

INGREDIENTS

14.5 oz. can chicken broth + enough water to make 2 cups (I used 2 cups homemade chicken broth)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. crushed dried rosemary
10 oz. couscous (whole wheat if available)
2 cups diced tomatoes or 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced (I used a combination of red and green onion)
1/2 cup kalamata or black olives, pitted and halved or sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese + a bit extra for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed (optional)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the chicken broth/water and dried herbs in a small pot on the stove top and bring to a boil. Add the couscous, cover the pot with a lid, and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, cheese, parsley, and chicken.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with additional feta and serve immediately or refrigerate several hours before serving.

Serves 6-8.

Some days I’m overflowing with words to write about these recipes. I’ll be in the middle of emptying the dishwasher, a jog at the gym, or stabbing someone with a needle, and ideas start flowing. My mind starts talking blogspeak. If you are a frequent blogger you might understand. You train of thought starts writing itself as a post.

And then there are days, days when I have all the time in the world to spend on my laptop being creative and clever, and I can’t think of a single word to say. Like today. My mind feels empty and no matter how deep I dig, I’m not finding anything. So I write about nothing, in hopes that something will materialize on the page. So I give you permission to stop reading right here (I probably should have warned you sooner), and ignore the rest of my ramble.

Still there? You must be incredibly bored. But since you still appear interested I suppose I’ll say something about this recipe. It is, after all, a blog about cooking. It’s not that this recipe isn’t inspiring. It is. It’s fantastic. Grilled chicken skewers marinated in garlic, olive oil, and oregano. Simple. Fast. Succulent. I loved, loved, loved it! I just don’t know what else to say besides, try it out. I bet you have most of these ingredients already on hand. Dip the sizzling skewers in tzatziki or hummus, stuff ’em in a pita, or spread ’em over a bed of spinach or Greek salad. This is a wonderfully uncomplicated and delicious dish.

Marinated Greek Chicken Skewers

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 red onion, quartered
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, coat chicken in 2 Tbsp. olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Marinate 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. olive oil and lemon juice. Set aside.

2. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Discard marinade and thread skewers (if using wooden, make sure to soak them in water for 20 minutes first to prevent burning) alternating chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, turning and basting occasionally with the olive oil-lemon mixture, until the chicken is just cooked through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Epicurious)