Roasted Greek Chicken

Roasted Greek Chicken

Greek food is another family favorite.  On our honeymoon we were fortunate enough travel to the Mediterranean and to several areas of Greece.  We roamed around cobblestone streets, stopping to eat at outdoor cafes and quaint open topped restaurants where the walls were covered with bright pink Bougainvillea.  The food was always simple, fresh, and loaded with flavor.
     Lately, with all the gray skies and snow, I have been dreaming of those turquoise blue waters and gloriously humid days.  (Yes, I said it.  "gloriously humid" If you live up north at the moment you completely understand).  So this recipe was inspired by my desire for summer, where my tomatoes and cucumbers will be growing abundantly in the garden (hopefully) and my husband is standing tall at the grill (puffing his chest and flexing his glorious I am king of the grill muscles).
     For this recipe I used bone-in chicken thighs.  I removed the skin,  added a touch of olive oil, then slathered them with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon zest.  Instead of braving -6 degrees to stand by the big man appliance on the porch, I roasted it in the oven until browned and beautiful.  Serve this chicken with a Greek salad or pile the meat onto a grilled pita and load it with crisp cucumbers, tomatoes, and tzatziki..  Summer here we come! (Eventually) 


Ingredients:


Roasted Chicken
10 skinless bone-in chicken thighs -(we had lots of leftovers)
Olive oil
2 - 3 loves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. lemon pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp. fresh dill, chopped fine
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped fine
2 tsp. Greek oregano
Kosher salt
sprinkle of paprika for color


Directions: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

• In a small prep bowl mix garlic, lemon pepper, lemon zest, dill, thyme, oregano and salt.

• Spray a roasting pan or 9" x 13" glass baking dish with non-stick spray.  Add a little olive oil to the chicken and then rub the chicken with the spice mixture. I also like to sprinkle the chicken with paprika to give it a nice color.

• Cook for 25 minutes, turn over, sprinkle with paprika again, bake another 25-30 minutes.

Roasted Greek Chicken

       We bought fresh pitas from our local Greek restaurant and made gyros, but this chicken stands alone.  With a side or two that is!  See my tzatziki (yogurt dressing) recipe under Greek or sauces for a healthy yet divine version of the traditional favorite.  It makes a great crudites dip as well.

Roasted Greek Chicken Gyro with Homemade Tzatziki

Enjoy!