Zahtar Chicken Kabobs With Grape Leaf Wrapped Tomatoes And Grilled Apricots Food

CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• If using wooden skewers, soak them in a dish of warm water for at least 20 minutes.
• Combine the chicken marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag or dish: olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Squish to mix in the bag or whisk if using a dish.
• Add the chicken pieces to the marinade. Make sure that all of the chicken is coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Place the zucchini rounds and chopped bell peppers in a baking dish or bowl. Drizzle with the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Add the onion to the bowl last and mix in very gently so that the onion layers stay together as best as possible.
• Put the chicken and vegetables on the skewers, dividing evenly between the 8 skewers and arranging the vegetable pieces in between the chicken pieces. Aim to put about 3 chicken pieces and 2-3 pieces of each vegetable per skewer. Discard all of the used marinade that held the chicken.
• Grill over medium heat for 12-18 minutes, turning every few minutes to cook all sides evenly. Kabobs are done when chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F.

ZAHTAR CHICKEN KABOBS WITH GRAPE-LEAF-WRAPPED TOMATOES AND GRILLED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Grate onion on large holes of a box grater. Combine with yogurt, garlic, cumin, zahtar, and oregano. Add chicken; combine. Cover with plastic; marinate 1 hour in refrigerator.
• Sprinkle tomatoes with zahtar. Wrap each with half a grape leaf; secure by slipping onto skewer. Place six on each skewer.
• Spray grill pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade; arrange six pieces on each skewer; do not pat off marinade. Discard remaining marinade. Sprinkle chicken with zahtar. Grill 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Grill wrapped tomatoes, 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Place apricots on skewers, lightly spray with cooking spray, and sprinkle with zahtar. Grill 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until warm and tender. Serve with Healthy Tzatziki.

ZA'ATAR CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add chicken; toss to coat., Arrange olives, apricots and plums on the bottom of a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup water; top with chicken. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 5-6 hours. If desired, serve with rice.

CHICKEN SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• Whisk together lemon zest, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, half the garlic, the oregano, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken, and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together remaining lemon juice and garlic, the cucumber, yogurt, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
• Heat grill to medium-high. Thread chicken, tomatoes, and onion onto 4 metal skewers. Brush with remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and season with pepper.
• Grill skewers, turning, until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Grill pitas until charred, about 2 minutes per side.
• Serve skewers with charred pitas and cucumber-yogurt sauce. Garnish with oregano leaves.

BAKED ZA'ATAR CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, mix together the za'atar, salt, and olive oil until the consistency of a thick paste. Add chicken thighs to the bowl, and toss to coat liberally on all sides. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

OVEN-ROASTED ZA'ATAR CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Pound chicken breasts to a 1-inch thickness for even cooking. Place in a large resealable plastic bag.
• Combine 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour mixture over the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.
• Place chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining za'atar seasoning.
• Roast in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 23 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Season with salt.

GRILLED FETA WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, za'atar and Aleppo pepper in a shallow bowl or small baking dish. Add the feta and spoon the oil over the top. Set aside to marinate 1 hour.
• While the cheese marinates, place the grape leaves in a bowl of room-temperature water and let soak.
• Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Drain the grape leaves and lay in a single layer on the towels; pat very dry. On a clean surface, overlap the grape leaves slightly to form a square. Place the block of feta in the center (reserve the flavored oil), then fold the grape leaves to cover the cheese like a present.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and prepare for indirect grilling: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Toast the pita over direct heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Brush the outside of the wrapped feta with some of the reserved oil and place on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Cook until the grape leaves are crisp and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and move to direct heat; grill until lightly charred on the second side and the cheese is warmed through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a board or platter and serve with the pita, olives, walnuts and/or apricots, plus any remaining flavored oil.

GRILLED ZA'ATAR CHICKEN WITH GARLIC YOGURT AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• In a large bowl or container, stir together 5 of the grated garlic cloves, half the lemon zest, 1/3 cup yogurt, the cilantro, oil, za'atar, oregano or marjoram, salt and black pepper. Add chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, light the grill to medium or heat your broiler with the rack 3 inches from the heat source. Remove chicken from bowl, shaking off any excess marinade, and grill or broil on one side until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill or broil for another 5 to 8 minutes, until just cooked through.
• While the chicken is cooking, place remaining 2/3 cup yogurt in a small bowl. Stir in the reserve grated garlic clove and lemon zest, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut one zested lemon in half and set aside for serving (save the other zested lemon for another use).
• To serve, place chicken on a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil and a large squeeze of the zested lemon. Top with cilantro and oregano or marjoram sprigs and serve with yogurt sauce.

GRILLED ZA'ATAR CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine cumin, sumac powder, sesame seeds, salt, thyme, oregano, and marjoram in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add grapeseed oil and lemon juice; mix to combine. Add chicken breast, mix with seasoning, and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Spray the grate of the grill with cooking spray, and preheat the grill to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Grill chicken breasts, flipping halfway, until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 7 to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).