Greek chicken protein boxes
Golden lemon oregano chicken with tzatziki, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and pita, a Mediterranean lunch box that’s more filling than it looks.
- 35 min total
- 18 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $4.17 a serving
- 500 calories
- Good the next day
Dolly says: Make the full amount and pack the rest for the next few days.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 English cucumber, cut into half-moons
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
- 2 pita bread, cut into wedges
- 1 cup tzatziki
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 500 calories, 41 g protein, 29 g carbs and 25 g fat, and costs about $4.17 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No boneless chicken thighs? Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No English cucumbers? Cucumbers or mini cucumbers work.
- No Kalamata olives? Black olives work.
- No pita bread? Flour tortillas work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, the lemon , oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Heat the rest of the oil in a large over medium-high heat and lay the thighs in, smooth side down.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Medium-high heat
Cook without moving them for 5 to 6 minutes, until deep underneath.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Medium-high heatTimer: 5 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: They’ll stick at first. When they let go on their own, they’re ready to flip.Flip and cook 5 to 7 minutes more, until the thickest piece reads 165°F.
Medium heatTimer: 6 min
Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Move the chicken to a board, squeeze the lemon juice over, and let it for 5 minutes.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 5 min
While it rests, cut the cucumber into half-moons, then the chicken.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Divide the chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and pita among 4 containers, with the tzatziki in small cups.
Dolly’s tip: Let the chicken cool for 20 minutes before the lids go on. The boxes keep 4 days, and the chicken is good cold or warmed.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop plans your lunches along with the week’s dinners, puts what you need on the same grocery list, and walks you through each step.
