Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Bake

 

A friend of mine recently hosted a Pampered Chef party on Facebook.  Well, it was hosted for her, by a woman who turns out to live in New York, (I live in Arizona and my dear friend lives in Australia) and by chance the host had the same sense of humor that I do! She’s also gone through some of the same catastrophic life events that I have, and we bonded immediately. I’ve never been one to meet a new friend virtually, but I’m convinced she’s a soul sister. 

She posted a recipe from the PC site, and I had to modify it quite extensively, because I didn’t have all of the ingredients. That’s ok.  In cooking as well as life you gotta work with what you got!

It amazed me again that my passion for food led to a new friendship.  Food seems to be the constant in my life, my metaphor, my mantra. Food nourishes us, body, and soul.  Food can be sweet, sour, salty, again like life. Many a dish has been seasoned by my tears.

I remember reading something from Deepak Chopra once that discussed the way we feel when we eat is just as important as what we eat.  Digest that for a moment.   Makes a lot of sense to say a blessing before you eat, doesn’t it? And it doesn’t matter if it’s a formal religious blessing or not, just be thankful and put yourself in a positive frame of mind.  Comfort Food.

So the next time you sit down to eat, take a moment, breathe, and think of something or someone you love.  Nourish your body and your soul.  This is the only journey we have. Life is not a leftover. 

 

 

 

8 chicken thighs

3 lemons

2 tsp pepper divided

2 tsp kosher salt divided

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp oregano divided

3 large potatoes, quartered

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 can sliced black olives, drained

1 pound asparagus, ends removed, chopped into thirds

1 large onion, sliced roughly

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place chicken thighs in bowl, drizzle with olive oil, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 1 clove garlic minced, zest on one lemon and juice of one lemon.  Let marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour.

While chicken is marinating, prep vegetables.

Mix all vegetables in a bowl with more olive oil, juice, and zest of one lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper.

Place chicken thighs on sheet pan or large cookie sheet, spread vegetables around, pour any remaining juices over, slice remaining lemon thinly and place over meat and vegetables, and bake for about an hour and a half or until the temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 160 with an instant read thermometer, and potatoes are tender.

Serve with Zucchini Tsatziki Sauce

 

Zucchini Tsatziki Sauce

½ zucchini grated, not peeled

Juice and zest of one lemon

½ cup Greek yogurt plain

2 cloves garlic minced

Stir together, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Serve cold.