Monday, April 12, 2010

Baked Greek Chicken

1 whole broiler/fryer chicken about 5 lbs (I just bought one in a pkg already cut up)
3/4 tsp salt
2 lemons
3 cloves minced garlic
1 TB fresh oregano (I used dried)
pepper
olive oil
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored & sliced (no fennel at my store! I used a couple stalks of celery)
1 cup dry orzo
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425. Pat chicken dry. Loosen skin & sprinkle some salt under skin.
2. Grate zest of 1 lemon, then cut lemon in half and juice. In small bowl stir together 2 tsp of zest, 2 TB of the lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt, the garlic, oregano & pepper. Tuck half of this mixture under skin of chicken.
3. Cut the peel off the 2nd lemon and chop the fruit into pieces.
4. Add 1 TB olive oil to remaining herb mixture in bowl. Toss with sliced fennel and chopped lemon. Transfer to large baking dish and top with chicken pieces. Bake at 425 for 40 min. or until chicken is done.
5. Meanwhile, cook orzo according to pkg. Drain & transfer to bowl.
6. When chicken is done transfer the pieces to a platter. Spoon the fennel into the bowl with the cooked orzo along with 1 TB of pan drippings, the olives and feta. Stir to combine and serve alongside the chicken.

Source: Family Circle magazine, March 2010 page 181

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