Greek Style Oven Fried Chicken

I was craving some fried chicken the other day. So I decided to make it with my usual Greek twist in it. The oregano, the cumin and the lemon juice shouts Greek. This dish can easily be made gluten free. Use gluten free all purpose flour (like King Arthur's) and gluten free breadcrumbs.

Makes 8 servings (approximately 6.2 oz each serving)

2 ¼ lbs chicken pieces
½ cup flour
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
2 eggs
1 tsp water
2 cups bread crumbs
2 tsp oregano

Wash and skin the chicken pieces or you can buy them skinless and boneless. I used a whole chicken that I cut up into pieces. Whatever chicken I had leftover I boiled it for my little shih tzu and kept the chicken stock in the freezer for future use.

In a bowl, mix together the flour with the ground pepper, salt and cumin. Set aside. Beat the 2 eggs with the water in another bowl and set aside. Mix the breadcrumbs with the oregano into a third bowl and set aside.

Coat the chicken pieces with the flour mixture first. Then dip them into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Place them on a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil, into a single layer. Bake at 400°F preheated oven for about 1 hour. Turn once. Remove from the oven, place the chicken in a platter and squeeze some fresh lemon juice. Serve and Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 6.173 oz (175g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 395
Calories from Fat 109
Total Fat 12.1g
Saturated Fat 3.3g
Cholesterol 154mg
Sodium 471mg
Total Carbohydrates 25.9g
Dietary Fiber 1.6g
Sugars 1.8g
Protein 42.8g

Before it goes into the oven

Ready to eat! Enjoy!

Ground turkey spaghetti sauce or Makaronia me kima

Per my daughter’s request, I’m posting my Greek style Bolognese sauce or Makaronia me kima (pronounced ma ka ro nia me kee mah) , which approximately translates to “Spaghetti with meat sauce”, or as I have always called it “spaghetti sauce”. My daughter happened to walk in as soon as I finished making this sauce. She commented that the house smelled wonderfully from all the herbs and spices, and asked if I could make some and freeze it for her to have on hand, when she is on her own. Of course, I granted her request.

Bolognese sauce originated from Bologna, Italy, and while this style of meat sauce incorporates vegetables in it, like carrots and celery, the Greek style spaghetti sauce, like my mother used to make, omits these vegetables. I have tried it with shredded carrots and diced green peppers, when I have the time; but most likely, I will make it the way it is made below. The Greek version is quick and quite easy. No long hours of cooking so that the wine will evaporate like the Italian version. Within an hour, you have a sauce that you can serve either on whole-wheat pasta, gluten free pasta or over spaghetti. You can substitute the ground turkey with ground beef, as the actual Greek translation of “kima”(kee mah) means ground beef (my mother always made it with ground beef). Sprinkle some shredded romano cheese, or like my mother used to shred kefalotyri (pronounced ke fa lo ty reh) similar to romano cheese, or kasseri (pronounced ka se reh) cheese which is similar to provolone or muenster cheese but a bit harder when it’s aged. Enjoy!

Ground turkey spaghetti sauce or Makaronia me kima 

Makes 10 servings

½ cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsps chopped garlic
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
15 oz tomato sauce
15 oz diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
½ cup chopped parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp chopped basil
1-1 ½ cans of water

Dice the onion and garlic. Chop the basil and parsley. Set aside. In a deep saucepan sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Add the ground turkey. Sauté till browned. Continue stirring and add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add one–one and a half cans of water; let it come to a boil and then simmer for about an hour till most of the liquid is absorbed.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving (183.5 g)
Amount per Serving
Calories 274
Calories from Fat 174
Total Fat 19.3g
Saturated Fat 3.8g
Cholesterol 69mg
Sodium 534mg
Total Carbohydrates 6.0g
Dietary Fiber 1.8g
Sugars 3.5g
Protein 20.0g

Lamb and Chicken Kabobs

Last Sunday was Father's day and my daughter's birthday.  For the occasion I decided to make lamb and chicken kabobs.  Lamb and chicken kabobs are very traditional dishes in Greece.  Souvlatzidiko or shish kabob place, as they are called in Greece, are in almost every corner of the cities and towns over there.

Every year, when we'd go back to visit, the shish kabob place was the first place we'd visit as soon as we'd set our foot there.  I always told my mother not to bother to cook for us, the day we arrived, because we'd get shish kabob or gyro for dinner.  The shish kabobs and gyros in Greece are served on a hot pita bread, and smothered with onions, tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, a mixture of spices like thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, all rolled together and wrapped up half way in aluminum foil, so that you can eat it as a sandwich.  The shish kabobs and gyros are also served with french fries.  And their fries are to die for.  I haven't been able to recreate the flavor of the fries over here to taste the same as over there.  I'm trying though.  Yesterday, we attended our OPA Fest at our Greek Church, and this is what I have always forgotten to do: sprinkle the french fries with - a mixture of oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper.  I will have to remember that, the next time I make them.

In the meantime, I have mastered the taste of shish kabob.  Here are the recipes for both chicken and lamb kabobs. The ingredients are pretty much the same, depending on the amount of meat you use. The portions are quite large.  Don't let the calories scare you away from making it.  And besides, you are not eating chicken or lamb kabobs every day.  

Lamb Kabobs

Makes ten 12” skewers. Approximately 8 oz each

4.5 lbs boneless leg of lamb cut up into 2” cubes

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup olive oil

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp fresh crushed garlic

1 tsp ground pepper

½ tsp salt

Wash and pat dry the lamb. Remove any excess fat. Cut it up into 2” cubes and place in a large bowl or large pan. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, oregano, the crushed garlic and salt and pepper. Mix it all together till all the pieces are coated with the lemon/olive oil marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

With the marinade

When ready to grill, skewer them into 12” inch skewers.

Skewered - before they go on the grill 

Heat the BBQ grill to as hot as it will get. Place the skewered kabobs on the hot grill. Grill for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally so that they won’t burn. You don’t want to overcook them as the meat will continue cooking while resting. Serve. Enjoy.

Ready from the grill

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving (222.3 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 479
Calories from Fat 232
Total Fat 25.8g
Saturated Fat 6.9g
Cholesterol 184mg
Sodium 272mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.1g
Dietary Fiber 0.3g
Sugars 0.2g
Protein 57.4g

Chicken Kabobs                              

Makes eight 12” skewers approximately 9 oz each

4 lbs chicken breasts cut into 2” cubes

¼ cup lemon juice or the juice of one lemon

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp fresh crushed garlic

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp fresh oregano*

½ tsp salt

Wash, clean, and pat dry the chicken breasts.  Cut them into 2” cubes and place them in a bowl or a large pan.  Add the lemon juice, olive oil, the crushed garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.  Mix them all together, till they are all coated with the marinade.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple or hours.

Marinaded chicken 

When ready to grill, skewer them on a 12” skewer. 

Skewered chicken

Heat the grill.  Place the skewered chicken kabobs on the hot grill and grill for 20 minutes turning occasionally so that they won’t burn.  When ready remove from heat and let them stand for a few minutes before serving.  The meat, as with any meat will continue cooking even when removed from heat.  Serve.  Enjoy.

 Hot off the grill

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 8.805 oz (249.6g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories                                                           498

Calories from Fat                                            195

Total Fat                                                          21.7g

Saturated Fat                                                  4.2g

Cholesterol                                                      193mg

Sodium                                                            316mg

Total Carbohydrates                                       1.4g

Dietary Fiber                                                   0.4g

Sugars                                                             0.2g

Protein                                                             70.5g

* For the chicken kabobs I used fresh oregano right out of my husband's garden, chopped fine.  But you can use dry oregano.  It will work just fine.

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes in the oven

Thyme and oregano grows abundant in Greece.  Therefore, it’s very characteristic that these two herbs are used so often in Greek dishes.  If you are ever in Greece and take a walk in the country, outside of the city, you will smell the pine trees but also the thyme and the oregano.  You just won’t get enough of that fragrant smell.  And if you cut a small branch of either oregano or thyme and rub it between your fingers, the aroma will linger till you decide to wash your hands.

 

My mother used to make this dish almost every Sunday, while I was growing up.  I used to love this dish and still do.  The lemon juice and the olive oil make the chicken crispy golden on the outside and juicy inside.  The potatoes turn golden brown and crispy outside but soft and tender inside.  The oregano and thyme just give this dish an altogether different flavor, so delicious that you end up licking your fingers when you are done eating the chicken wings, as I used to and still do.  Nobody can have the chicken wings from this dish.

Enjoy!!!

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes in the oven

12x9 pan (pan measures inside the rim)

Four (4-6) Servings

4 cups potatoes quartered (approximately 6 medium size potatoes)

1 whole chicken (about 3.5lbs)

¼ cup lemon juice (juice of one lemon approximately)

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp ground pepper

½ tsp salt

½ cup olive oil

½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rinse and wash chicken well inside and out.  Set aside.  Peel, wash and quarter the potatoes.  Set the chicken in the middle of an ovenproof pan.  Spread the potatoes around the chicken.  Sprinkle the chicken and the potatoes with the oregano, thyme, pepper and salt.  Drizzle with the olive oil.  Add the water in the pan. 

 The dish before it goes in the oven 

Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours approximately, or till the chicken is crispy golden and clear juices run out when tested with the fork; the potatoes should be crispy on the outside but soft inside.  Test with a fork for doneness.  

                                          

The dish when it comes out of the oven

It makes a great Sunday meal!!!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size                             1 serving 14.318oz (405.9g) 

                                              (these calories per serving are approximate for four (4) servings).

Amount Per Serving

            Calories                       620

Calories from Fat                      233

Total Fat                                   25.9g               40%

Saturated Fat                             4.7g                23%

Cholesterol                             198mg                66%

Sodium                                  363mg                15%

Total Carbohydrates                 16.8g                  6%

Dietary Fiber                             2.6g                 10%

Sugars                                     1.4g

Protein                                     76.3g