This full-flavored weeknight dish was healthy and delicious. The yogurt sauce was an essential element for my family. Any combination of greens could be used in this dish- I used the ingredients that had just arrived in my CSA box. đŸ™‚
This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I incorporated sautéed collard greens, bok choy, and leeks. I served the chicken and greens over brown Basmati rice drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. Great.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
For the Chicken:
- 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 7 thighs)
- coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely grated, minced or passed through a press
- 1 T finely chopped fresh thyme and/or oregano leaves (I used 1/2 T each) (can substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano)
- large pinch of red-pepper flakes
- 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, cut lengthwise into 8 thin wedges
For the Garlicky Greens:
- 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch of collard greens, ribs removed, halved lengthwise
- 2 baby bok choy
- 1-2 leeks (I used 1 1/2 large leeks), sliced into 1/4-inch half moons and soaked
- 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- large pinch of red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 T sherry vinegar
For the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek or other strained, thick yogurt (or substitute labneh or sour cream) (I used 2% Greek yogurt)
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated seedless cucumber, such as Persian or hothouse cucumbers
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated, minced or passed through a press
To Serve:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, parsley, and/or cilantro, for garnish
- brown Basmati rice, for serving
- warm flatbread, such as naan, for serving, optional
To Prep & Roast the Chicken:
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with the salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine 4 of the grated garlic cloves, thyme and/or oregano, red-pepper flakes, and olive oil.
- Add chicken and lemon wedges, and toss until well coated. (If you want to work ahead, you can refrigerate the chicken for up to 12 hours before roasting.) (I marinated the chicken in the refrigerator for 6 hours prior to cooking.)
- To Prep the Greens: Cut the ribbed collards into 1/4-inch ribbons. Slice ribbons in half; set aside. Cut the leafy portion of the bok choy into 1/2-inch ribbons. Rinse and dry the collards and leafy bok choy. Cut the bok choy stems into 1/8-inch pieces, cutting larger pieces in half to make relatively equal-sized pieces. Soak separately from the leafy greens to clean; rinse, dry, and set aside.
- Arrange chicken and lemons on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed sheet pan in a single layer.
- Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes in a convection oven, or up to 27 to 35 minutes in a standard oven. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- After placing the chicken in the oven, cook the rice, the greens, and make the sauce. (see below)
To Cook the Garlicky Greens:
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high. Add the soaked and strained leeks, sliced garlic, and chopped bok choy stems. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the washed leafy greens, 1 to 2 handfuls at a time, and stir until wilted. Continue until all of the greens have been added to the pan. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Season with the sherry vinegar as well as salt and pepper, to taste.
To Make the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:
- Stir together yogurt, grated cucumber and clove of minced garlic in a small bowl.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
To Serve:
- Layer the sautéed greens over the rice on a platter or other serving dish.
- Top with the roasted chicken. Squeeze roasted lemon wedges all over chicken, and sprinkle with mint/parsley/cilantro and more red-pepper flakes, if desired.
- Drizzle some of the accumulated pan juices over the top of everything.
- Serve chicken accompanied by cucumber-yogurt sauce and warm flatbread.
thebrookcook 