Cookbooks just might be one of my favorite presents to receive. Especially if they are wholesome and healthy with beautiful picture spreads throughout. I can read about recipes for days, but it's those pictures that spike my appetite and make me cook after a long day at work. So. Thank you, Mom, for The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook.
Today wasn't too long of a day (although, it was my first day back after a nice, long Christmas vacation). I've got some spiced quinoa cooking for tonight's dinner, so I thought I would do some blog catch-up. I still have recipes from last week to share!
I've grown to love tzatziki. Which is saying a lot. Because this girl used to not even like yogurt. Not to mention Greek yogurt. But I love it now, and that is all the matters. When you see this tzatziki, you will understand why I chose to make it. It's actually almost like a salad. Or a cucumber salsa (is there such thing...?). Whatever you prefer. Anyways, it is so cool (in a "taste" sense of the word), but so zippy as well. The combination of fresh mint and dill is fabulous.
Furthermore, the chicken marinade, which has a lot of the same ingredients used in the tzatziki, is great. Awesome, fresh recipe that I think will be even better in the spring or summer (I want to try this chicken grilled as the recipe recommends).
Greek chicken with tzatziki
Adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen - A Tastier Take on Whole Foods
Serves 4.
Ingredients for the marinade:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness of 1/2 inch)
Mix all the ingredients together in a shallow baking dish and toss chicken breasts. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes or for several hours in the fridge.
Ingredients for the tzatziki:
2 English cucumbers
¼ red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make tzatziki, slice cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out seeds in the center. Slice each half lengthwise into four or five long sticks, then dice. You should have about 3 cups. In a mixing bowl, stir together the cucumbers, red onion, mint, dill, and garlic. Add the yogurt, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. (Stir in yogurt and salt at last minute to prevent watery tzatziki (cucumbers release water a soon as they are mixed with salt).)
The recipe suggests grilling, but it's kind of chilly. So I simply sautéed the marinated chicken breasts in a pan and finished off in the oven until they reached an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F. Let rest and serve with a large scoop of tzatziki and some warm brown jasmine rice.
Enjoy.
