Greek-Style Grilled Chicken

Serve this main with Quick and Easy Greek Salad and homemade Tzatziki.

Serve this main with Quick and Easy Greek Salad and homemade Tzatziki.

Greek-Style Grilled Chicken

Marinade
6 cloves garlic, minced or use Toppits frozen garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano leaves
2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cracked black pepper

1 lb (500 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs about 6-8 thighs

1.   Mince garlic and set aside.
2.   Wash and dry lemon. Using a Microplane remove zest from lemon. Set aside.
3.   Whisk together the lemon juice, dried oregano, oil, and the cracked pepper. Add the garlic and lemon zest.
4.   Place the chicken into a medium resealable plastic bag or in a non-metallic casserole dish. Pour in the marinade. Gently press the air out and reseal the bag. Massage the bag to make sure the marinade is coating the chicken. If you are using a casserole dish, make sure the marinade is coating the chicken. Cover the dish, and spoon marinade over top of the chicken every so often.
5.   Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and not longer than 12 hours. Massage the bag occasionally.
6.   Preheat indoor grill or outdoor BBQ.
7.   Remove the chicken from the fridge and let sit for 5 minutes.
8.   Remove chicken from marinade and place on hot grill. Close the lid. Discard the marinade.
9.   Grill over medium heat, with the lid down, turning often. Continue grilling until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
10.   Remove from grill and let sit on a clean plate for 5 minutes. Serve.

Serves – 4
One serving = approx 3 oz. (75 g) cooked chicken
One serving contains:
243 Calories, 14.9 g Total fat, 3.2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 84 mg Sodium, 2.9 g Carbs, 1 g Fiber, 0.4 g Sugars, 24 g Protein

Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving
1 Extra, 3 1/2 Meat and Alternatives, 1 Fat

Cooking tip:
Marinating the chicken overnight will intensify the flavour, freezing it in the marinade for up to 1 month, even more. Thaw before grilling.


Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki is a Greek condiment that is made with thickened yogurt and lots of garlic. Never eat this before a hot date, a public meeting, or a sports event, just warning you.

3-4 cloves garlic
1 cup (250 mL) 0% fat plain Greek style yogurt, or Thickened Yogurt – see recipe below

1.   Mince garlic, add to yogurt and stir well. Store in fridge for up to three days or serve right away. It will taste stronger the longer it sits.

Makes – 1 cups (250 mL)
One serving = 2 tbsp (30 mL)
One serving contains:
20 Calories, 0 g Total fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 16 mg Sodium,1.4 g Carbs, 0 g Fiber, 0.8 g Sugars, 3 g Protein

Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving
1 Extra, 1/2 Meat and Alternatives

Thickened Yogurt
Year Round

If you don’t want to buy 0% fat plain Greek style yogurt, then you can make it on your own.
Choose a yogurt that doesn’t have any gelatin. Try Astro’s Biobest line, no gelatin added or Liberté’s non fat plain yogurt, no gelatin added.

1- 650 g container plain fat-free or 1% yogurt, with no gelatin added
3 coffee filters

1.   Either the night before serving day or the morning of serving day line a medium wire mesh strainer with the coffee filters, fanning them out to cover the whole strainer. Set over a bowl.
2.   Pour in yogurt, cover, and place in fridge for at least 6 hours. The liquid (whey) will drip out into the bowl leaving you with a thickened yogurt.

Makes 2 cups (500 mL)
One Serving = 2 tbsp
One serving contains:
20 Calories, 0 g Total fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 24 mg Sodium, 3.3 g Carbs, 0 g Fiber, 1.6 g Sugars, 2 g Protein

Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving
1 Extra, 1/2 Meat and Alternatives

Recipes from Healthy Starts Here!
By: Mairlyn Smith

http://www.mairlynsmith.com/

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