Greek Chicken with Cucumber-Feta Salad

I have two wonderful chicken and rice dishes to share. This dish was part of The New York Times’ List of The Best of 2022- I’m surprised that I missed it when it was first published. It was fresh, delicious, and can be enjoyed in every season. I prepared the chicken in a cast iron skillet on the stove, but it could also be grilled in warmer weather.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I omitted the olives and modified the method and proportions. I served the chicken over white Basmati rice with the cucumber salad and roasted broccoli on the side. Great.

Yield: 6 servings

• 2 cups plain whole milk Greek yogurt
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or pushed through a garlic press
• Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp dried oregano or mint
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds (about 10) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
• 1 1/2 pounds cucumbers (preferably Japanese, Persian or mini, seedless cucumbers)
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes, halved)
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 4 ounces feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved (I omitted them)
• white or brown Basmati rice, for serving, optional (I used 2 cups of rice with 1 tsp salt)

1. If serving chicken over rice, prepare the rice according to the package directions. (I used a rice cooker.)
2. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer 1/2 cup of the yogurt to a medium bowl and reserve.
3. Coat the chicken: To the large bowl, add the oregano and stir to combine. Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the chicken to the large bowl and turn to coat; set aside.
4. Start the salad: Smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until craggy and split. Rip into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a colander placed in the sink. Slice or chop the tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Add to the cucumbers along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. (It may seem like a lot of salt, but most will drain away.) Toss to combine and leave to drain.
5. In a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.)
6. Scrape excess marinade off the chicken, then cook the chicken in batches, adding oil to the pan if necessary, until it’s well browned and releases from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a splatter screen! Flip and cook until cooked through, another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Transfer to plates to rest. (For grilling info, see Tip.)
7. To the medium bowl of yogurt, add the feta and mash with a fork until a chunky paste forms.
8. Shake the cucumbers and tomatoes to get rid of any excess moisture. Add to the feta yogurt along with the olives (if using) and stir until coated. The balance is dependent on your produce and feta, so season to taste with salt and pepper until flavors are vivid.
9. Serve the chicken over rice with the cucumber-feta salad on the side.

Tip: To grill the chicken: Heat a grill to medium and clean and grease the grates. Grill the chicken over direct heat until it’s well browned and releases from the grates, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, another 5 to 7 minutes. (For a gas grill, close the lid between flips.)

Pepper Jelly-Glazed Grilled Chicken with Peppers

Trader Joe’s stocks their sweet and spicy pepper jelly in the fall for the holiday season- just in time for this quick and tasty weeknight meal.

This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff-favorite,” contributed by Molly Stevens. I served the chicken and peppers over a bed of rice to absorb the drippings and grilled lime juice.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 3 limes
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds 5 ounces)
• 1 T ground coriander
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• 4 T olive oil, divided
• 4 long green bell peppers (CSA), poblano, or Anaheim chiles (10 to 12 oz)
• 10 to 12 shishito peppers (6 to 8 oz)
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed
• 1/2 cup hot pepper jelly
• Basmati rice, for serving

1. Preheat a grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F).
2. Cut limes in half. Squeeze 1 lime into a small bowl to equal 2 tablespoons juice; set juice aside and discard juiced lime halves.
3. Sprinkle chicken all over with coriander, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and red pepper flakes; rub evenly with 2 tablespoons oil. Set aside.
4. Brush long peppers/poblano/Anaheim chiles, shishito peppers, scallions, and cut sides of remaining 4 lime halves evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
5. Whisk together pepper jelly and reserved 2 tablespoons lime juice in a small bowl.
6. Arrange long peppers/poblano/Anaheim chiles, shishito peppers, scallions, and limes, cut side down, on un-oiled grill grates. Grill, uncovered, turning scallions often, chiles and peppers occasionally, and leaving limes undisturbed, until gently charred, 3 to 4 minutes for scallions and limes, 4 to 5 minutes for shishito peppers, and 6 to 8 minutes for chiles. (It took even longer on my grill to char the vegetables.)
7. Transfer charred chiles, peppers, scallions, and limes to a baking sheet, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
8. Arrange chicken thighs on un-oiled grates; grill, covered, until nicely browned and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 165°F, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
9. Brush tops of chicken thighs generously with some of the pepper jelly glaze, and grill, uncovered, until glaze is sizzling, about 1 minute.
10. Flip chicken, and repeat with second side. Remove chicken from grill.
11. Place grilled chicken and vegetables on a platter over a bed of cooked Basmati rice.
12. Squeeze grilled lime halves over chicken, chiles, peppers, and scallions.

Grilled Corn & Scallion Salad

We shopped at the farmers market to get beautiful corn and scallions for this summer side dish. I could happily eat corn and basil every day all summer long. 😉

This salad was very fresh and light. It was a perfect accompaniment to our dinner of grilled burgers (and Impossible burgers), pickles, tomato slices drizzled with basil vinaigrette, and potato chips, of course. We even had brownie ice cream sandwiches for dessert. A summer feast.

This recipe is from Bon Appetit, contributed by Zaynab Issa. I incorporated my CSA tomatoes and backyard basil. We ate it immediately but the components can also be made in advance. Perfect.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• cooking oil spray, for grill grates
• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ears of corn, husked
• 1 bunch scallions (I used 4 huge scallions)
• 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice (I used 1/2 of a large lime)
• 2 T sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 12 oz mixed heirloom tomatoes, chopped, and/or cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup sweet basil, chiffonade, plus more for garnish

1. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate (before heating).
2. Grill husked corn and scallions, turning occasionally, until very tender and charred and blackened in spots, 10–12 minutes for corn, 5–7 minutes for scallions. (Alternatively, you can cut kernels from cobs in slabs and slice scallions into ¼”–½” pieces; cook together in a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, turning and stirring occasionally, until charred in spots, about 4 minutes.)
3. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, sherry vinegar, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl to combine; season vinaigrette generously with freshly ground black pepper.
5. Cut corn kernels from cobs in slabs and slice scallions into 1/2-inch pieces.
6. Add corn kernels, scallions, tomatoes, and basil to vinaigrette and gently toss to combine.
7. Top corn and scallion salad with more basil just before serving.

Do ahead: Corn and scallions can be grilled and vinaigrette can be made 3 days ahead; wrap corn and scallions separately and chill. Cover and chill vinaigrette. Salad (without basil topping) can be assembled 3 hours ahead; cover and chill.

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Summer Corn & Tomatoes

This dish is absolutely perfect for entertaining. It is not only quick to prepare, but also needs to rest at room temperature prior to serving. By placing the warm grilled chicken over the raw corn kernels, as well as the thinly sliced tomatoes and red onion, the juices and seasonings enhance every layer.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I modified the proportions. Next time I would consider adding even more corn, noted below. We ate it with roasted potatoes and green salad. Healthy and delicious. A great summer dish!

Yield: Serves 8

• 3 to 3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 4 to 6 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T chili powder
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds large ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced (I used 3 large tomatoes plus 1/2 pound Campari tomatoes)
• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob, plus more, if desired
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• fresh oregano leaves, for garnish, optional

1. In a medium bowl, coat the chicken with 4 tablespoons olive oil, chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt; set aside. (You can do this step up to 1 day ahead; covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before cooking.)
2. Thinly slice the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. Drain excess liquid before using.
3. Hold each ear of corn upright over a bowl; slice off the kernels. Repeat with remaining ears.
4. Using a mandoline, slice the red onion into 1/8-inch rounds.
5. On a large platter, layer the corn kernels, red onion, and (seasoned and drained) tomatoes. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, if desired. (I omitted the additional oil.)
6. Heat the grill to medium-high.
7. When ready to grill, clean the grates with a grill brush, then lightly grease the grates.
8. Grill the chicken until browned and cooked through, and it releases easily from the grates, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
9. Transfer the chicken to the prepared platter; let rest for 5 to 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh oregano before serving, as desired.

Chicken Parm Burgers

I loved the idea of transforming one of our absolute favorite comfort food dishes into a summer dinner made on the grill. The burgers were very moist and packed with flavor. We ate them on potato rolls with coleslaw, potato chips, pickles, and watermelon. Perfect!

This recipe was adapted form The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. We grilled the burgers, increased the amount of garlic, and used sliced fresh mozzarella. Cheesy and delicious.

Yield: Serves 4

• olive oil or cooking oil spray
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey, preferably dark meat
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or pushed through a garlic press
• Kosher salt
• 4 (1/4-inch thick) slices from a large ripe tomato
• 4 (1/-4 inch thick) slices fresh mozzarella or 1/2 cup grated fresh or low-moisture mozzarella
• 4 potato rolls, burger buns or ciabatta rolls
• baby spinach or arugula, for serving

1. Lightly grease a large plate with olive oil or cooking oil spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup Parmesan, basil, tomato paste, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt.
3. Gently incorporate the ground meat into the cheese mixture.
4. Working the meat as little as possible, form 4 patties that are each about 4 1/2 inches wide and about 1/2 cup or 135 grams.
5. Transfer to the greased plate, cover, and refrigerate. (This helps maintain the shape and also prevents the juices and fat from leaking.)
6. On a rimmed plate, sprinkle the tomato slices with salt.
7. If using grated mozzarella, stir together the mozzarella and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
8. Preheat a grill to medium heat. (I used a griddle on the grill and preheated it at this time too.)
9. Toast the buns on the preheated grill, if desired. (I omitted this step.)
10. Oil the grill griddle and add the patties. Cook until browned underneath, 3 to 5 minutes. (Reduce heat if the patties are burning.)
11. Flip the patties, top each with 1/2 tablespoon of the grated Parmesan cheese followed by a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese (or with the combination of grated cheeses, if using).
12. Cover the grill with the lid and cook until the cheese is melted and the patties are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
13. Pat the tomatoes dry.
14. To each bottom bun, add a handful of baby spinach or arugula, followed by a slice of tomato, a chicken patty and its top bun. Serve hot with chips and coleslaw, as desired.

Grilled Swordfish with Corn Salad

Wow. This was a special summer meal. A celebration of my CSA share too. 🙂

The meal was inspired by my first batch of CSA corn. Absolutely fabulous. We ate it raw- only heated by the warmth of the grilled fish. The corn salad also incorporated my CSA scallions. We ate it with steamed CSA wax beans and with slices of my friend’s beautiful home grown cucumber on the side. All so fresh and delicious! Amazing.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. The grilling instructions resulted in absolutely perfectly cooked swordfish. Using an instant read thermometer was also essential. We were short one family member so I only served three swordfish steaks. Excellent.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks, 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick
• 6 T unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3 T canola oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus more for serving
• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut from cobs
• grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced or 1 ounce chives, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 1 cup)
• 2 oz cilantro (1 small bunch) cilantro, leaves and stems, cut (if desired)
• flaky salt, for serving

1. Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking over medium-high heat by pouring the coals onto one half of the grill. For a gas grill, heat all the burners to high, then turn off one of the end burners before cooking. (See Tip regarding grill temperature below.)
2. While the grill is heating, pat the fish dry and make the salad.
3. To make the corn salad: In a medium bowl, combine the rice vinegar, canola oil, 2 teaspoons sesame oil and corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the scallions (or chives) and cilantro on top of the corn mixture (don’t stir them in), and season with salt and pepper.
5. When you’re ready to grill, pat the fish dry again. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and lightly coat with grapeseed oil.
6. Clean the grill grates with a grill brush, then oil the grates with an oiled paper towel.
7. Grill the fish until well browned on one side and it releases easily from the grates, 4 to 6 minutes.
8. Flip with a fish spatula and cook until it registers 130 degrees, 2 to 4 minutes. (For a gas grill, close the lid between flips, listening and keeping an eye out for flare-ups.)
9. Immediately transfer the grilled fish to a platter.
10. Toss the corn salad to incorporate the scallions and cilantro, then top the fish right away with the salad, spooning extra dressing over the fish.
11. Let rest for 5 minutes before eating. Season to taste with flaky salt, pepper and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

Tip: Medium-high is 375 to 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates for 4 to 5 seconds. High is above 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates for 2 to 3 seconds.

Grilled Za’atar Chicken Thighs & Tomatoes with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

My husband made this full-flavored grilled chicken for my birthday dinner. One of our favorite grilled chicken marinades is yogurt-based. It truly results in the most juicy and flavorful meat. Because yogurt is more gentle than vinegar or lemon juice used in other marinades, the marinating time can be extended without altering the texture of the meat. Making the marinade a day in advance is perfect when activities are planned for the day of the meal and there is little time to spend in the kitchen.

Much of my birthday celebration was focused on food- no surprise. 🙂 My first surprise was a very special breakfast pastry delivery from Dominique Ansel in NYC. (I am a huge fan!) So beautiful, I had to take a few photos.

If that wasn’t enough, we enjoyed the beautiful weather by going out to lunch at a favorite outdoor spot. Lovely.

We ate this grilled chicken over rice for dinner. This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. The original recipe suggests serving it with pita and cucumber-tomato salad. I loved it with grilled tomatoes. We also had warm naan on the side.

My daughter and I made Strawberry Crumb Cake for our celebratory dessert. We ate it warm with vanilla ice cream. ❤

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated, pressed, or minced
• 2 lemons, zested
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more sprigs for garnish
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the tomatoes and for serving
• 1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or marjoram, plus more sprigs for garnish
• 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 8)
• 8 to 10 Campari tomatoes
• pita, rice, or naan, for serving, as desired

1. In a large bowl or container, stir together 5 of the grated garlic cloves, half the lemon zest, 1/3 cup yogurt, the cilantro, oil, za’atar, oregano or marjoram, salt and black pepper. Add chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. When ready to cook, light the grill to medium (or heat your broiler with the rack 3 inches from the heat source).
3. Remove chicken from bowl, shaking off any excess marinade, and grill or broil on one side until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill or broil for another 5 to 8 minutes, until just cooked through. Using an instant-read thermometer, the meat should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
4. Brush the Campari tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Thread onto skewers. Grill until heated through, slightly charred, and soft.
5. While the chicken and tomatoes are cooking, place remaining 2/3 cup yogurt in a small bowl. Stir in the reserve grated garlic clove and lemon zest, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Cut one zested lemon in half and set aside for serving (save the other zested lemon for another use).
7. To serve, place chicken on a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil and a large squeeze of the zested lemon. (We served it over Basmati rice and drizzled it with the juices accumulated after removing the chicken from the grill.)
8. Top with cilantro and oregano or marjoram sprigs and serve with yogurt sauce.