Hi there! It’s been a while! Life after the wedding did not slow down, but my wife and I were able to sneak away to our honeymoon for ten days.. to Greece! We traveled to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini and had the time of our lives. One of many things that left a lasting impression on me was the food! It seemed like everything tasted better there. The ingredients were so fresh and delicious.
One of my favorite dishes that I found myself ordering at several different restaurants was Souvlaki. Souvlaki is a popular greek “fast food” made of small pieces of meat and veggies on a skewer. The dish was typically served with tomatoes, red onions and fries, and occasionally some Tzatziki. I did my best to recreate this delicious dish back at home, but substituted the fries with some herbed quinoa. It brought me right back to Greece!
Souvlaki with Herb Quinoa, Tzatziki and Roasted Veggies
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
2 lemons, juiced
4 whole chicken breasts
For the Tzatziki:
1 1/2 cups greek yogurt
Juice from one lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1 english cucumber, diced
1 tsp salt
1 tbl fresh dill
salt and pepper
For the dish:
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 yellow squash, sliced into rounds
1 red bell pepper, sliced julienne
Fresh dill
Instructions
Peel and dice the cucumbers. Put them in a strainer and sprinkle with salt to draw the water out. Let them sit for 30 minutes to drain.
In a blender, combine cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice dill and pepper. Pulse until blended and then combine with yogurt. Put in the fridge for at least an hour so that the flavors blend.
Put the chicken in a dish you can put in the fridge, and add the rest of the ingredients and mix to make sure the chicken breasts are covered. Cover the dish with saran wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
You can cook your veggies either on the grill or in a saute pan. Season with salt, pepper and oregano and toss with olive oil. Cook until tender.
Pre-heat the grill (outdoor or grill pan) to medium heat.
If you’re using wooden skewers to cook your Souvlaki, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes before using them. This will prevent the skewers from charring or burning while they’re on the grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cut into equal size pieces so that they cook evenly. Build your kebab and place on the grill. Turn them every few minutes so that they get nice grill marks and are browned, cooked until chicken is no long pink in the center and juices run clear.
Toss the quinoa with some fresh dill and serve alongside the skewers and veggies. Top with tzatziki and enjoy!
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