Name: Lemon-oregano chicken with tomato yoghurt and village salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 100 ml olive oil; ½ cup (firmly packed) fresh oregano; 1 tbsp dried Greek oregano (see note); 1 lemon, unpeeled, coarsely chopped; 3 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 8 chicken thigh fillets, skin on; 16 fresh bay leaves; Village salad; 1 iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped; 1½ Lebanese cucumbers, coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp mint; 1 spring onion, thinly sliced; 1 thick slice of Greek feta (about 100gm); 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste; Tomato yoghurt; 500 gm Greek yoghurt; 6 vine-ripened tomatoes; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

Lemon-oregano chicken with tomato yoghurt and village salad

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for lemon-oregano chicken with tomato yoghurt and village salad.

Serves 4

Prep

30M

Cook

25M

Total

55M

This twist on souvlaki uses whole lemon in the marinade for extra bite. Start a day ahead to marinate the chicken and drain the yoghurt.

Ingredients

100 ml olive oil

½ cup (firmly packed) fresh oregano

1 tbsp dried Greek oregano (see note)

1 lemon, unpeeled, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

8 chicken thigh fillets, skin on

16 fresh bay leaves

Village salad

1 iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped

1½ Lebanese cucumbers, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp mint

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

1 thick slice of Greek feta (about 100gm)

1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

Tomato yoghurt

500 gm Greek yoghurt

6 vine-ripened tomatoes

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

Method

Main

1.Blend olive oil, fresh and Greek oregano, lemon and garlic in a food processor until smooth, add half the vinegar, season and process to combine. Pour into a large snap-lock bag, add chicken, seal and massage chicken to coat. Marinate in fridge for 3 hours or preferably overnight.

2.For tomato yoghurt, tip yoghurt into a muslin-lined sieve over a bowl, cover and drain overnight. Preheat a barbecue to high. Drizzle tomatoes with oil and barbecue until slightly blackened and skins split (8-10 minutes). Process in a food processor until smooth, pass through a fine sieve (discard solids), transfer to a saucepan and simmer until thickened (6-8 minutes). Cool, then stir through drained yoghurt with garlic and lemon juice, season to taste and refrigerate until required.

3.Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto skewers with a couple of bay leaves so the leaves sit under the flesh side of the chicken. Barbecue, turning occasionally until cooked through and juices run clear (10-15 minutes).

4.For village salad, combine lettuce, cucumber, mint and spring onion in a bowl and top with feta. Shake oil and lemon juice in a jar, season to taste, drizzle onto salad, season feta and serve salad with chicken and tomato yoghurt.

Note Greek oregano is available at delicatessens.
Drink Suggestion: Crisp dry white such as Greek assyrtiko or Hunter sémillon. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes