So I had totally planned on having multiple nights worth of the chili I had made last night…and then I woke up and realized that we had never taken the chili out of the slow cooker from the night before…so between getting norovirus or whatever bacterial infection you get from eating food that’s sat out for too long and making dinner from scratch, the latter was the only real option.
Going through the fridge, I see feta cheese, I see olives, I see baby spinach, I see Roger, I see Susan, I see Jason…
So I’ve easily got enough ingredients for a quick Greek chicken recipe…except, you know, the chicken. Not to worry, chicken thighs are cheap, and so much better than chicken breasts.
(Do not even try to argue this with me. 2016 chicken breasts are just flavorless sacks of rubber injected with 20 gallons of broth to ensure that you can’t fuck them up too badly when you put them in the oven and NO FLUFFY DO NOT DO YOUR BUSINESS ON THE CARPET JUNIOR DO YOUR HOMEWORK I AM NOT HAVING ANOTHER PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE HONEY WILL YOU PLEASE STOP OGGLING MEGYN KELLY AND SET THE TABLE OH MY GOD THE CHICKEN BREASTS HAVE BEEN IN THE OVEN FOR 180 MINUTES!!!)
And it’s a one pot recipe, which is great, because my lady hates it when I dirty up tons of pans and skillets and pots to make a simple dinner. I mean, who doesn’t use seven bowls and six plates and a skillet and a stockpot to make dinner?
Nobody?
Never mind.
CAN I MAKE A MESS WITH THIS RECIPE?
Oh sure.
FINALLY!!
Any time you cook with chicken, you have to clean the board over and over again so you don’t get TB of the trichinosis of the eyeball. And you have to trim the fat and throw that out, which is icky, but it will taste more appealing and saves on grease spatters.
WAIT, YOU’RE TELLING ME TO MAKE IT LESS MESSY?
Settle down Chachi. It’s going to spatter regardless, and the extra far is going to have this really weird texture to it. You’re better off trimming them up.
BUT THAT’S IT? NOTHING MORE THAN THAT? YOU’RE REALLY LETTING ME DOWN!
I’m sure they have plenty of room for hecklers over at the pioneer woman’s site.
WHATEVER…JUST GET TO COOKING.
One Skillet Greek Chicken
Serves 6
From I Wash You Dry
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
6-8 boneless chicken thighs (skin on or off, either will work)
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 cup pitted olives, halved (or whole, it’s your family, do whatever you want to them)
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup diced feta cheese
1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper strips, chopped
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Get a large oven-safe sauté pan, and heat it over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Sear for three minutes on each side (if you’re using skin on, do that side first). Move the pan to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Take the pan out of the oven – carefully, use oven mitts – and move the chicken to a plate. Drain out the excess fat, leaving a tablespoon or so behind.
Reheat the pan over medium heat (give it a minute or two to cool off when it comes out of the oven). Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds then add the broth, orzo, and olives. Pour in a little of the olive brine if you like, but don’t overdo it.
Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 15 minutes, just until the orzo is cooked.
Stir the spinach, dill weed, and lemon zest into the mixture, just until the spinach starts to wilt. Put the chicken back in the pan and let it warm up. Take the pan off the stove, and top with the feta, peppers, and onion.
Serve immediately.
Adam's Messy Kitchen 