This is one of my favourite go-to chicken recipes! Its has simple ingredients that you can find almost anywhere, is easy to follow and hard to get wrong, and also looks great on the table if you have friends or family over. Personally, I like to prepare the chicken in bulk and then dip into it as and when I need it.
STEP 1. GATHER INGREDIENTS
For the kebabs, you'll need:
- Chicken Breasts (if, like me, you like to cook in bulk, use a 500g pack)
- Olive oil (about 3-4 tablespoons)
- Peppers (use whichever colour you prefer, the more colour the better in my opinion)
- Courgettes (optional, but good for bulking the dish out)
- Red onions (optional, but good for bulking the dish out)
- Tomatoes
- A whole lemon (or two if you like things zesty)
- Garlic (at least one clove)
- Oregano (you'll need two tablespoons worth)
- Pitta breads
STEP 2. DEAL WITH THE CHICKEN
- Next up, get your scissors out and trim away and unwanted fat on the chicken breasts. Cut the breasts into chunks and keep them large enough that they'll go nicely on a skewer but not so enormous that you can't fit anything else on there. Whack the chunks straight into a food bag and pour in a good glug of olive oil.
- Crush a clove of garlic (or two if you're a garlic lover) and add it to the bag along with the two tablespoons of oregano.
- Grab your lemon, chop it in half and give the flesh a bit of a stabbing with a fork. Squeeze the juice of the entire lemon onto the chicken. I wouldn't worry too much about the seeds going in, you're going to be putting the meat onto skewers so you can just pick them out later.
- Use your hands to thoroughly mix up all of the ingredients in the bag. Put the food bag into a bowl and set that bowl aside in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate (the longer the better really).
STEP 3. CHOP UP THE VEGGIES.
- Chop the veggies into large chunks, ready for skewering.
STEP 4. WHILE THE CHICKEN IS MARINATING, KNOCK TOGETHER SOME TASTY TZATZIKI.
You'll definitely want some of this with your chicken. It's very easy to make and tastes great when its slathered all over a chicken-stuffed pitta bread.
You'll need:
- Fat Free Greek Yoghurt (500g for a big portion)
- Garlic (2 cloves, minced)
- A tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 cucumber. Remove the skin and scoop out the seeds of the cucumber before grating it into a bowl (as shown). To get rid of the excess water, wrap the grated cucumber in a paper towel and give it a squeeze.
- The juice of half a lemon
- A pinch of mint
- Salt and Pepper
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and there you have it! Pop an olive on top if you're out to impress!
STEP 5. skewer and cook!
- Get the chicken and veggies on skewers (if using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water to prevent them burning) and grill them on a moderate heat for approximately 20 minutes (keep checking them!) Placing them over a baking tray in the oven also works well, if you prefer that method.
STEP 6. Serve and eat!
- What you decide to serve this with depends on your preference and your goals. Up till now the recipe is pretty "Macro friendly" in the sense that it is high protein, vegetable dense, minimal fats (some in the oil) and low carbohydrate. Depending on your goals you can add additional carbohydrates accordingly. Pita breads work and absolute treat! Heat them in the toaster, slice them open and then stuff them full. If you're on a quest for more muscle, you might want to add some rice into the mix as well!
