If you’re looking for recipes to make this summer that are filling but won’t weigh you down, Chef Maria Loi has the perfect Mediterranean-inspired meal for you.
Loi, who is the owner and founder of Loi Estiatorio in New York City and a global ambassador of Greek cuisine, uses fresh ingredients to create healthy dishes reminiscent of her days growing up along the seaside of Greece.
As part of “Good Morning America’s” “Global Grill” series, Loi showed us how to grill chicken the Greek way for a chicken dish that’s marinated in Greek yogurt and a salad that’s perfect for lunch, dinner or a snack.
See the recipes below!
Serves 8 to 10
2 cups plain Greek yogurt (full fat preferred)
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
Olive oil, for grilling and for dressing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dried oregano
Fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish
Fresh lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard powder, and fresh rosemary. Add the chicken, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl, refrigerate and marinate the chicken for 3 hours, if possible. (The marinade tenderizes and flavors the chicken. If you don’t have time to marinate the chicken for 3 hours, let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.)
With paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, wipe away as much of the marinade as possible.
Preheat the grill and a grill pan over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Coat the chicken with olive oil. Season the chicken breasts liberally with salt, pepper, and oregano.
Grill the chicken breasts for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of breasts) without turning. Flip the chicken and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the grill, and place in the hot grill pan with ½-1 cup of water at the bottom (enough to coat the grill pan, but not enough to cover the grill ridges of the pan); cover with aluminum foil, and cook for an addition 5-6 minutes until fully cooked and juices run clear.
Remove from heat, and allow chicken breasts to rest for 4 to 5 minutes so that the juices can redistribute. Serve the chicken garnished with parsley sprigs, fresh lemon, and olive oil.
Serves 3 to 4
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium red onion, sliced or cut into pieces
1 green bell pepper, julienned
¾ cucumber, halved and sliced
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dry wild Greek oregano leaves
Dakos, as needed
Red wine vinegar, for dressing
Olive oil, for dressing
Directions
To make the dressing, combine 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar with 1 cup of olive oil in a resealable container, and season with salt, pepper, and Greek oregano to taste. Shake vigorously until emulsified.
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, cucumber, and olives.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the dakos with the salad dressing, then add to the salad bowl.
Toss with a small amount of the dressing until coated, or if preferred, serve the dressing on the side.
Top with feta, sprinkle with oregano, and serve immediately.
*Cook’s notes:
-Dakos are Greek barley rusks that are sold dried and are often used in Greek cooking as a textural component; they are a great source of fiber, and an essential part of the Cretan Diet, the basis for The Greek Diet and Mediterranean Diet.
-While you may substitute well-toasted pieces of dense, whole-grain or multigrain bread in a pinch, the barley rusks are better. If you cannot locate them in a local shop, barley rusks may be ordered online.