Greek Chicken Bowl

I’m always trying to create healthy quick meals. Life can get crazy especially during the week so having a healthy meal you can partially prep ahead of time and put together quick is a good healthy alternative to take out!

This bowl can be adjusted to any specific flavors or food lifestyles. A Must try!

Greek Chicken Bowls

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1lb chicken breast or tenderloins
1 cup fat free greek yoguart
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon dried dill
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoon, red or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad:
2 cups tomatoes, diced
4 mini cucumbers, diced or cut in half moons
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic paste)
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon oregano
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Bowl:
Cooked rice
1 cup tzatziki sauce
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Pita Chips:
3 pitas, cut in triangles (I used a low carb high fiber option)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
sprinkle salt and pepper

Directions: In a medium bowl add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, spices, vinegar and olive oil. Mix well till fully incorporated. Add the chicken to a large gallon zip lock bag (or a bowl) and add in the Greek yogurt mixture. Mix all together until the chicken is fully coated. Marinate 3 hours or overnight.

To make the salad add all the salad ingredients to a medium bowl with the seasonings. Add more or less to your liking. Start with less vinegar and add more if needed. Make the salad ahead of time and let chill for 1-2 hours. This will help marry the flavors.

To make the pita chips drizzle with oil on both sides and sprinkle with seasoning. Place in heated air fryer at 400° for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway through. Make sure they start to get crisp, set aside. Note: they will crisp more once out of the air fryer.

The chicken can be cooked on the stove, baked, grilled or made in the air fryer. I used chicken tenderloins and cooked at 375° for about 10 minutes flipping halfway through in my oven air fryer. Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°.

To assemble the Greek Chicken Bowl add you’re cooked rice (or a low carb alternative) top with chicken and add the salad on the side. Top with tzatziki and feta cheese.

Chef Notes: If you prefer chicken thighs you can easily swap out the chicken. If you have a Greek seasoning omit the above spices and use that. YUM! I have made this with low carb alternatives like cauliflower rice and low carb pita. Add extra cooked veggies for more volume.

Lemon Garlic Chicken

I’m constantly working on chicken recipes! I get asked a lot for my favorite chicken dishes so I’m always working on a new great recipe! I like chicken, but not as much as beef. So, when I make a chicken recipe that knocks my socks off I know I’ve created a really great recipe! Well….this recipe is it!! I’ve been thinking about it since I made it and since I finished the left overs! Haha! This recipe is so full of flavors the marinade that ends up turning into the juice is so delicious you’ll be licking the plate!!

I love this recipe because you can use any type if chicken you want. In this recipe I used chicken thighs! I’m looking foward to trying it with chicken breasts next! Enough of this…let’s get to the good part.. the recipe!

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs, bone in & skin on
1 lemon, zested
1/2 lemon, juice
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp parsley
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning, optional
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Optional:
baby potatoes
crusty bread

Directions: Preheat oven 375°. In a medium bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic and all seasoning except the lemon pepper, whisk together and set aside.

In an oven safe pan add the chicken thighs and pat dry. Sprinkle the thighs with the lemon pepper if using. Pour marinade over the chicken thighs evenly.

Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes until fully cooked to 165°. (Cooking time will depend on the size of the thighs) Let sit a few minutes before serving. Serve chicken with a few spoonfuls of juice and a nice chunk of crusty bread and your choice of sides!

Note: You can add baby potatoes to the pan, if they are bigger you may want to par cook before adding. Put them in the microwave for a few minutes before adding to the pan with the chicken. This chicken would be great over rice, noodles or even mashed potatoes.


Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Chicken is one of the most used protein! Chicken unfortunately, is also one of the hardest proteins to get correct. So often the chicken come out over cooked and stringy. I will show you the best pan seared chicken breast. So juicy and tender and perfectly seared! I get a lot of questions on chicken breast so as simple as this dish is, I wanted to share it!

Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless 1 inch thick
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic and herb seasoning
sprinkle salt
sprinkle pepper

Direction: Heat a medium size sauté pan on medium high heat. Add in olive oil let heat 2 minutes. (Note: You want the pan to be hot, this will be how you get that nice golden sear.) Add in chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cook times may vary based on the thickness of the chicken breast. You need an internal temperature of 165°, make sure to check the thickest part of the breast. This is where a meat thermometer comes in handy. Remove chicken from the pan and let rest a few minutes before enjoying.

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

Hi all! I just got back from an amazing vacation and I’m trying to dedicate more time to my cooking as it is such a huge passion. My new job has been super busy still, but I’m getting a new partner soon so hopefully things will get to normal and I can be more active with this blog! Don’t worry I’m cooking, I’m just not able to get the recipes shared!!

Anyways….back to the food. I made this super basic chicken recipe tonight. I say basic as it’s really got only a few ingredients and it’s great for a weeknight meal. It’s relatively healthy and can easily be turned into a low carb/keto dish. I’ve been trying to keep things a little more simple during the week so that’s where this recipe came from. Give it a try!

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients:
4-6 thin chicken cutlets
1/2 cup flour
16 oz sliced mushrooms (any kind)
1 cup aged white cheddar, grated (I used a rustic bigger grater)
3-4 T olive oil
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Directions: Heat a large sauté pan on high heat. In a medium bowl add in the flour and season with 1 t garlic powder, 1 t onion powder, half the salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken and dredge in the flour and shake off excess flour and set aside. Complete with all chicken cutlets.

Once pan is heated add 1-2 T of olive oil to pan and let heat 2 minutes swirl the oil around in the pan. Add in the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. About 3 minutes on each side on medium heat. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add in another tablespoon of oil and add in the sliced mushrooms. Season with the remainder of the spices, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook these mushrooms till as much of the water is cooked out as possible most. TRUST ME you will be happy you did. The mushrooms will get golden brown in color and the flavors will really come through. Remove mushrooms from the pan and add the chicken back in.

Top the chicken cutlets with the golden delicious mushrooms and sprinkle over the aged white cheddar. You can use as much and as little as you like. I was trying to be a little healthier and used less cheese but honestly I should have smothered it with cheese! Turn pan on low and cover until cheese is melted.

Remove from the pan, serve and enjoy!

Notes: Adjust the cooked time based on the thickness of the chicken you are using. The chicken should be cooked to 165°. The flour can easily be omitted for low carb lifestyles.

Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

I just recently started Weight Watchers again for the new year. It’s time to really get it together. Last year was a mess with eating and I feel like I didn’t focus on the healthy eating as much as I should have. Since I got this air fryer I’ve made so many dishes so it’s definitely helping me eat better. The things you can do with it, are endless.

This chicken recipe is marinated with Greek yogurt. The yogurt makes it super juicy and moist. I love the flavor it gives, too. Instead of using a marinade with oil this is a healthier lighter alternative. You have to give this recipe a try!

Please keep in mind not all air fryers are created equally. You may need to adjust the temp and cook time to your specific model type.

Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:
1 cup non fat Greek yogurt
2 T ranch seasoning
1 T olive oil
6-8 chicken thighs, boneless & skinless

Directions: In a small bowl mix together Greek yogurt, ranch seasoning and olive oil. In a deep dish pan or zip lock bag add the chicken and cover chicken with the Greek yogurt mixture on both sides. Let marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

To cook, preheat the air fryer. Spray the basket or rack with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the air fryer with foil for easy clean up. (Note: I have an oven air fryer) Add chicken to the rack and cook at 370° for 17-19 minutes, flipping halfway through. I like the nice charred edges on the chicken, however you can reduce time if you prefer. Check the chicken with an instant read thermometer. The internal temp at the thickest part of the thigh should be 165°. You may need to cook the chicken in batches, or if you have an oven air fryer, you can add 2 racks and rotate racks half way through. Let rest a few minutes before enjoying.

Keto Chicken Cutlets

Anyone who wants to reduce the amount of carbs in their daily diet, will loves these chicken cutlets. They are made with pork rind crumbs and they honestly come out so delicious. The cool thing about these chicken cutlets is you can use any flavor pork rinds you have. For example, they have spicy pork rinds and that would give the chicken a nice kick! If you are looking for more of a traditional chicken cutlet, stick with the plan flavor pork rinds. If you are craving a nice delcious chicken cutlet, and want a low carb option, please give this a try!

Keto Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients:
6 thin chicken breast, pounded into thin cutlets
2 cups plain pork rinds, finely chopped (use a food processor) (Or you can get the already crumbed pork rinds)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Romano or parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 t Italian seasoning
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, optional

Directions: Heat a large sauté pan on high heat. Add in the olive oil and let heat until hot. About 3-4 minutes. Add pork rinds to a medium flat bowl. Whisk in the Italian seasoning, garlic powder & onion powder, cheese and half the salt and pepper. In a second bowl beat 2 eggs. season the chicken cutlets on both sides with the rest of the salt and pepper. Start breading the chicken. First add the chicken into the beaten egg and then into the breading mixture. Completely coat the chicken cutlet with the breading and add to a plate. Complete with all the remaining chicken cutlets.

Once ready to cook, make sure the oil is hot. Add in chicken cutlets to the pan, one by one. Let cook 3-4 minutes on high until golden brown and then turn over and cook another 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove from sauté pan and set aside. If you can’t fit all the chicken in one batch, do in 2 separate batches. Finish with a squeeze of lemon over chicken, if so desired. Enjoy!

Notes: If you can’t find think chicken cutlets just buy regular chicken cutlets and pound them to your desired thickness. Cooking times will vary depending on how thick your chicken breasts are.