Before you know it, we'll be finding our sweaters and scarves and donning boots to go outside. While we're in the twilight of the harvest-laden autumn season, I say let's fire up the grill in lean into the outdoors for prepping and enjoying our meals as long as Mother Nature sets the stage for us. So this week, we've got another selection of fun grilling recipes that will grace your table with flavor, color, and fun. And ideally that table is also tucked into a beautiful spot outside for you to enjoy. We hit midweek with an excellent bowl recipe featuring grilled Greek chicken, chile peppers, and lemon plus a lot more.
The marinade for the boneless skinless chicken thighs is quick and easy and you can marinate it for as little as a couple hours or as long as a day. This gives most of us an opportunity to just set that part of the recipe up the night before grilling and get ahead of it all. Then it's a matter of grilling a few things, slicing a few fresh things, and adding still a few other things to make a clever bowl that, frankly, has become a staple in the menu rotations in our house. Sometimes I make my own hummus and sometimes I use a favorite variety sold at my local market. Sometimes I don't have cucumbers and I work in fresh strips of pepper instead. Sometimes I add some very thinly sliced red onion. Sometimes I skip the cheese. Sometimes I serve it all over a bed of spinach or rice or the like. You get the idea. Make it your own!
This truly is a meal on its own. I'm happy pouring a glass of something to drink with it and finding a comfortable spot - ideally in the yard - to enjoy it at a leisurely pace. It also makes a great picnic offering. Either make the bowls in containers that are tightly lidded or bring everything separately and assemble the bowls once you've reached your picnic spot. What a lovely way to enjoy a generous autumn day!
Grilled Greek Chicken Bowls
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon each Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 whole lemons, halved
- 2-4 whole hatch chiles or other grill-worthy chile
- 3-4 whole pita rounds
- 1-2 cucumbers, sliced into rounds
- 1 lb. mixed cherry tomatoes, halved if desired
- 1 cup hummus
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Balsamic glaze or pomegranate molasses, for drizzling - you can use store-bought versions of either also
Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and add the next 8 ingredients (crushed garlic cloves through lemon juice). Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2-24 hours until ready to grill. Turn the bag a few times during the chilling step.
Prepare a grill for cooking by placing a hibachi style iron grill plate or similar setup on the grill and bringing it to 375°-400°F.
Place the halved lemons on the warming grates about the preheated grill plate. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) on the grill plate. Add the hatch chiles to the grill plate and close the lid. Set a timer for 8 minutes.
When the timer goes off, turn the chicken and the chiles and set the timer for 4 minutes. Take the lemon halves from the warming rack and set them, cut side down, on the grill plate. Close the lid again.
When the timer goes off, remove the lemons to a plate and the hatch chiles to a container and let them rest for a bit. Continue grilling the chicken for another 4 minutes. Continue grilling for 4 minutes, turning, checking to see if it's done and continuing to grill as needed until it is fully cooked. Remove to a cutting board and chop as needed to smaller pieces. Peel the chiles, remove the stem and seeds, and slice into strips. With the heat off, lightly toast the pita rounds and slice into wedges.
To assemble the bowls, arrange chicken, chile strips, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, hummus and olives, and a grilled lemon in each bowl. Sprinkle with feta and drizzle with balsamic glaze or pomegranate molasses. Serve with toasted pita wedges.
- Yields: 3-4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time for chicken