I feel like we get stuck in a food rut sometimes. We usually make our own food but there are times when our usuals don’t sound good, and we just need something new. So we started doing “Greek Night.” It started off simple: we bought the ingredients from Trader Joe’s (Shawarma pre-marinated chicken thighs, Tzatziki, Hummus & Pita). But as with most food items with us Myklebusts, we usually feel like we can make it better from scratch with our own ingredients. 

This is also a “Build Your Own” meal that we find works great for families since not everyone likes exactly the same thing. You are able to build our meal with the ingredients you like and we serve everything on the table family style. 

Cici loves helping out with making the hummus, tzatziki and last time, she even skewered the meat and onions! I would suggest marinating the meat overnight. The hummus and tzatziki can be prepared earlier or right before you eat. It keeps for about a week. Start the hummus, then once the chickpeas are boiling and garlic resting, start the tzatziki.

What you need for the entire meal:

• Yogurt Marinated Chicken (Fish works great also)
• Tzatziki 
• Hummus
• Whole Wheat Pita (we get outs from Trader Joe's)
• Sliced Cucumber, Tomato & Red Onion
• Feta
• Olives
• Chopped Romaine
• Spicy Garlic Paste (optional)

We don’t always have all of these items but we make do with what we do have.

Here's the recipes:

Yogurt Marinated Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (or thighs)
• Red Onion Quartered 
• Optional: Bell Peppers cut into ~1inch squares
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• Lemon Zest from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1-2 lemon
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 Dried oregano (or minced fresh)
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Optional: Fresh Thyme

Cut Chicken into ~1.5 inch cubes

Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Let sit in fridge for about 5 minutes. Taste. It should taste lemony, slightly salty and fresh. Add more seasonings, lemon or salt as needed.

Add Chicken Cubes to Yogurt mixture. Thoroughly mix everything. Cover, let sit overnight in fridge. (We have also let it sit for just a few hours and it was still yummy)

Skewer Chicken, Cubed Red Onion & Bell Peppers (if using)

BBQ or cook in over at 375 until internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is so yummy and so easy to make, I will never buy it again! We always have greek yogurt in the house (great source of protein!) and we usually have dill growing in our garden. Dried dill works as well.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups greek yogurt
• 2 cups grated cucumber (about 1 medium, 10 ounce cucumber. No need to peel or seed. Use the largest hole on your box grater)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice (I just use an entire lemon!)
• 1 medium garlic glove (super minced)
• 1-2 tbsp fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp salt

Squeeze out the extra moisture in the cucumber (bonus, drink it!!) You want it as much of the moisture out so the tzatziki isn’t too watery.

Add yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, garlic and salt to bowl. Stir to blend. (This is Cici’s favorite part!)

Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes in the fridge then taste to see if you need anything else. Usually it is lemon or salt.

Hummus

I will not even attempt to say this is my own recipe. I found it online and it is simply the BEST hummus I have ever had. And every one else who has had it agrees! Follow the directions on it and it will work. For tahini, I used one from Ralphs: Simple Truth Organic tahini. 

Hummus Recipe

We buy our whole wheat pita from Trader Joe’s. I have made them in the past and they were delicious but with all the other items being made from scratch, you gotta cut corners somewhere. 

We lay everything out on the table, everyone is reaching over everyone, and have the best meal every. It’s super social and the leftover make the best leftover salad with a simple Honey Tahini Dressing or a simple Red Wine Dressing.

Honey Tahini Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons ice-cold water, more as needed

In a mason jar, add all ingredients except the cold water. Cover with lid and shake. 

Add the ice-cold water and shake again. Taste, I usually add more lemon juice or even some red wine vinegar (I like things REALLY vinegary!)

Red Wine Vinegar Greek Dressing

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virging olive oil 
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Add everything in a mason jar, cover with lid, shake and enjoy. 

Salad dressings are so easy to make and they keep for a while in the fridge. I honestly use my own salad dressing 90% of the time and it makes my salads so much yummier. Try it out! Want more dressing ideas? Let me know!