Greek Chicken with Vegetables and Potatoes

Greek Chicken with Vegetables and Potatoes

On my quest for healthier recipes, I purchased a new cookbook, something I love to do. My collection continues to grow. This book has some pretty amazing recipes, all under 400 calories each. And a lot of information on better options when cooking and eating out. I don't think that each and every meal should be 100% "Healthy." That simply isn't realistic for our lifestyle. We enjoy junk food and treats once in a while but realize that it needs to be in moderation. For most of the week, we limit our calorie intake, and we basically earn our treats. It doesn't always work out that way, sometimes we give into temptation more than we should. But for the most part, we are on a good path as far as food is concerned. I've managed to talk Rock Creek Hubby into trying a much wider variety of foods than he used to. Which is incredibly helpful since I like to cook so much. It would put a damper on the whole experience if I had to cook for a picky eater. Grandma Myrt didn't have much tolerance for people that were unwilling to try new things. She figured that if she put in the effort and time to prepare a good meal, the least folks could do was to eat it. I have a relative that will not eat anything green. Anything. I cannot even imagine cooking for this person. It would drastically limit the variety of meals that would be brought to the table. And what a sad way to live...there are so many wonderful foods out there. Who wants to eat the same thing over and over? Not me.
When I saw this recipe for Greek Chicken, I knew right away that I'd eventually try it. I love Greek food. Years ago, when I was a waitress, I worked for a Greek restaurant where everything was made from scratch. I hadn't had much experience with Greek food before that, other than enjoying Baklava and Gyros. I learned so much while working there. The owner encouraged his employees to sample everything on the menu. It was important to him for us to know what we were selling. I loved the way he prepared Spanokopita. I have yet to find a restaurant that makes it as good. His mother in law made the Baklava and it was to die for! And impossible to eat just one small piece. So began my love of Greek/Mediterranean food.
This recipe calls for Kalamata Olives, which are a bit pricey but so worth it. They add such a great flavor to the chicken and vegetables. We've decided that orange bell peppers are so much better than green, at least in this dish. Next time, I'll make a few minor changes but overall, this was a hit. I love dishes that smell as good as they look. The entire time this was in the oven, we were watching the clock, mouths watering, stomachs growling.

Greek Chicken with Vegetables and Chicken

4 skinless, bone-in split chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs) I used boneless chicken breasts and they cooked just fine
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 8 wedges
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 8 wedges (next time I'll try red or yellow bell pepper)
3/4 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 12 wedges and microwaved for two minutes
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 " slices
20 pitted Kalamata olives
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice and grated peel of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray, or prepare a 17'x12 rimmed baking pan: Tear off 2 sheets of nonstick aluminum foil, each 24" long. Put the dull (nonstick) sides together and fold over the edge on one side twice, to make a seam. Open up the seam and line and cover the edges of the baking pan. The dull side of the foil should face up.
2. Place the chicken on one side of the pan. Place the bell peppers, potatoes, onion, and zucchini on the other.
3. Puree the olives, olive oil, lemon peel and juice, garlic, oregano, black pepper, and paprika in a small food processor. Spread the puree over the chicken and the vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat. (I put the veggies in a large bowl to coat them with the puree)
4. Roast, turning the chicken and stirring the vegetables halfway through cooking, for 40-45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. If the chicken is done before the vegetables are tender, remove the chicken and cover with foil. Increase the temperature to 450 and cook the vegetables for an additional 5-10 minutes. Arrange 1 chicken breast and one-quarter of the vegetables on each of the four plates.

Makes 4 servings
Calories: 350