Last weekend in Richmond, the annual Greek Festival took place. I used to live across the street from it. I went for a couple of years, sometimes just to grab dinner and walk home. But, then, even when I lived there, it got too big. The lines were endless and it was usually hot outside. So, I started skipping it or going through the drive-through. Yes, a food festival has a drive-through. And yes, I use it.
This year, I walked in with a friend and then we quickly surmised that we were too hungry to wait in the lines and went to Carytown and had pizza. But, not after the smell and vision of shish kabobs being grilled was imprinted in my brain. It was such a beautiful night, but sometimes even the pull of the gyros made by real Greeks is not enough. And, as with most amazing food I see in the world, I thought, “I could make that.” Thus, these puppies got skewered and baked right in my own home.
I don’t have a grill. Well, I do, but it’s in the basement and it’s tiny and I’m not sure I have charcoal. What I’m saying is that I’m too lazy to bust out my tiny grill and wait to heat the coals when you’re oven will do just fine. Heck, you really could use a grill pan, but I like a hands free cooking adventure. Like I said, laziness.
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 small yellow squash
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1.75 lb. chicken breast strips (16 strips)
- ¼ cup + 1tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic grated on a microplane
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 scant tsp. dried mint
- ½ tsp. salt, divided
- 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper, divided
- Place the vinegar, 2 tbsp. olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, ¼ tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper in a mason jar and with a tight lid shake it vigorously for about 30 seconds.
- Place the chicken in either a marinating container or gallon plastic bag. Pour the marinade on the chicken and stir or toss the liquid all over the chicken.
- Chill in the marinade for at least 1 hr. or overnight.
- When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut your veggies into 1½ chunks. Skewer everything alternating the veggies and chicken. I like to use the strips to make an S around the veggies so that you skewer the end of a chicken strip, add a veg., fold over the chicken strip and skewer, add a veg., fold over a chicken strip, etc. Each skewer should have 2 chicken strips.
- Place the skewers on a foil lined baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of olive oil, ¼ tsp of salt, and ½ tsp of pepper.
- Bake for 45 minutes turning once during cooking.
- Serve warm either on skewers or off. You decide. I vote skewers.
The tzatziki sauce pictured will be a forthcoming post.
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