Cava-inspiried greek chicken bowls. I've been craving some of my favorite food from LA and this was always so good. I used to get it on campus with when I was studying at USC - it was my guilty pleasure. This meal reminds me of so many fun times eating take out with my roomies and also nights cramming at the library and eating this to get me through it!
Makes four servings
Note: the chicken needs up to two hours to marinade.
Ingredients
Greek chicken
650g chicken breast, cut into 1/2-1-inch pieces
1 ½ lemons, juice
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
½ tbsp oregano (or ¼ cup fresh oregano, finely chopped)
3 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp for cooking
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp red chili flakes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tbsp butter for cooking
Greens & grains
Brown basmati rice
Arugula or rocket leaves
Cabbage
1 tbsp olive oil
½ purple cabbage, chopped
Greek salsa
2 tomatoes diced
½ cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup mint, finely chopped
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp vinegar
1 ½ lemons, juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Tzatziki sauce
½ cup Greek yogurt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ cucumber, grated then squeezed in a paper towel to remove the excess water
1 ½ tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Tahini lemon herb dressing
1/8 cup tahini
½ lemon juice
¼ cup mint
¼ cup parsley
¼ cup cilantro
¼ tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Pickled red onion
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 cup water
1 red onion, finely sliced
Crumbled feta
One block of fresh feta
1 tbsp oregano
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Greek chicken
Combine all ingredients in the marinade (except for 1 tbsp olive oil & ½ tsp butter) in a large Ziplock. Cut chicken into 1-inch or 1 ½-inch pieces and place chicken in the bag.
Make sure the chicken is completely coated in the marinade and soak in the fridge for up to two hours.
I wouldn’t go longer than two hours because the lemon can toughen the chicken a bit.
Once chicken has marinated, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan.
Cook chicken breast without moving for 5 minutes, then add butter, swirl around, and flip the chicken.
Cook the chicken for another 5-6 minutes – don’t be afraid of the burnt bits on the pan, they add a lot of flavor to the chicken.
Cabbage
You can make this pickled or sautéed.
For pickled: pour same mixture for pickled red onion over shredded cabbage and soak for one hour at room temperature.
For sautéed: heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat on a large pan. Once hot, add cabbage and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
Tzatziki sauce
Mix all ingredients together, thin with milk if desired.
Tahini lemon herb dressing
Combine tahini and lemon in a food processor and blend.
Then add remaining ingredients except for olive oil. Once you a thick paste, while the processor is running, slowly add olive oil.
Scrape down the sides and add water until it resembles a thick dressing.
Pickled red onion
Dissolve salt and sugar in vinegar then add water in a glass jar.
Once combined, add the red onion. Allow it to soak at room temperature for one hour then place in the fridge.
Crumbled feta
Place fresh feta in a bowl and add spices and olive oil. Crumble with a fork until well combined.
To serve, place a bed of arugula or rocket leaves at the bottom of a wide bowl. Then add rice, and top with chicken, Greek salsa, cabbage, feta, tzatziki sauce, pickled red onion, and tahini lemon herb dressing.
Other optional toppings include: couscous salad, pita bread, grilled corn, avocado, hummus, kalamata olives, falafel, lamb, or roasted vegetables.
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