Recipe Challenge: Greek Chicken With Cucumber-Feta Salad

Greek Chicken with Cucumber-Feta Salad 

Adapted from NYT Cooking

This easy meal is perfect for getting you out of a boring chicken rut. It makes a great summer time meal too with its fresh flavors and seasonal produce. The salad will last only a couple days in the fridge before getting soggy but the chicken is perfect for leftovers in low carb wraps. I love using yogurt as a marinade for chicken or as a healthy creamy salad dressing as it is used here! Enjoy!

Ingredients 

• 1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated 
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or mint
• 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 1 pounds cucumbers (preferably Japanese, Persian or mini, seedless cucumbers)
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes 
• 2 ounces feta, crumbled 
• ¼ cup kalamata olives

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the juice of one half to one whole lemon (depending on size of lemon and taste preference). Transfer 1/2 cup of the yogurt to a medium bowl and reserve for Step 5.
2. Coat the chicken: To the large bowl, add the oregano and stir to combine. Add the chicken to the large bowl and turn to coat; set aside marinate while you prepare the salad.
3. Start the salad: Slice or chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into bite-size pieces. Place cucumbers and tomatoes into a colander along with 1 teaspoon salt. (It may seem like a lot of salt, but most will drain away.) Toss to combine and leave to drain.
4. Place chicken on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or a non-stick mat. Bake for 25-30 mins or until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear or a thermometer measures 165°.
5. To the medium bowl of yogurt, add the feta and mash with a fork until a chunky paste forms. Shake the cucumbers and tomatoes to get rid of any excess moisture. Add to the feta yogurt along with the olives and stir until coated. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Eat alongside the chicken. 

Nutrition Facts (1/6 of recipe: 3 oz chicken thigh weighed after cooking + 2/3 cups salad): 229 calories, 8.5g fat, 9g carbohydrate (2g fiber, 5.1g sugar), 29g protein