Chicken Souvlaki
September 16th, 2021
This Recipe creates 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 01 hour 30 minutes
Chicken Souvlaki is a flavorful meal. Oftentimes served with a Pita, Basmati Rice, and Tzatziki. This recipe follows the the Keystone Approach diet. As a result, the Yogurt-based Tzatziki has been replaced with an Avocado-based sauce.
Ingredients:
==========
2 lbs Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
1 Lemon, Juiced and Zested
Salt
Confit
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 Cup (1/2 Ounce) Fresh Oregano, finely chopped (or 2 Tablespoons dried Oregano)
1 Teaspoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Non-Dairy Tzatziki
1 Small Cucumber, peeled, and seeded
1 Avocado, peeled, seeded, and mashed.
Directions:
=========
Make the Confit - Stovetop Method
Place a small pan over low heat. Add the Olive Oil, Garlic, Oregano, and Rosemary.
If you have a candy thermometer or a meat thermometer, monitor the heat of the oil.
You should maintain a temperature range between 200-210° F.
Be careful that the thermometer doesn't touch the bottom of the pan while you take your reading. You want to measure the temperature of the oil, not the temperature of the pan.
Heat the oil on medium until the Garlic begins to bubble slightly.
If the garlic is frying, the oil is too hot.
Immediately lower the temperature and then simmer, on low for about 30 minutes.
If the temperature starts to get away from you, immediately remove the pan from the heat and let the oil cool for 10 or 15 minutes, then return to a low simmer.
After 30 minutes of simmering, remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool, then refrigerate.
Add the Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, and Salt to the Confit. Stir well.
Remove 1 Tablespoon of the Lemony Confit mixture and reserve until later.
Make the Confit - Sous Vide Method
Add the Garlic Cloves to a 4 oz canning jar.
Mix in the Oregano and Rosemary Leaves.
Fill the jar the rest of the way with Olive Oil.
Lid and tighten the lid finger-tight.
Add to the Sous Vide container and cook at 200° F for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool, then refrigerate.
Add the Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, and Salt to the Confit. Stir well.
Remove 1 Tablespoon of the Lemony Confit mixture and reserve until later.
Marinade the Meat
Pour the Lemony Confit into a large Ziptop bag. Add the Chicken Cubes. Force out all the air from the bag and marinate at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes.
Make the Non-Dairy Tzatziki Replacement
Use a cheese shredder to shred the Cucumber
Add a pinch of Salt to the Shredded Cucumber. Give it a good squeeze to reduce as much moisture as possible.
Mix the shredded Cucumber with the Avocado and the reserved Tablespoon of the Lemony Confit.
Cook the Meat: Meat Cubes
Cut the Chicken into 2 inch cubes.
Place a wire rack into a Cookie Sheet.
Move the Chicken pieces to the wire rack in the middle of the oven.
Set the Broiler on high. Broil the Chicken for about 10 minutes, until the inside temperature of each Chicken piece reaches 145° F.
Alternatively...
Cook the Meat: Vertical Spit
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Stack the marinated Chicken Breasts onto a vertical Spit.
Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the meat stack. Ensure that the thermometer is not touching any metal from the vertical spit.
Bake until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140° F.
Set the oven to Broil and Broil for 3 minutes to char the edges of the meat.
Remove the Meat from the oven and rest the meat for about 10 minutes.
Ensure that the internal temperature of the Chicken reaches 145° F.
(The temperature should continue to rise a few points after removing it from the oven.)
Unstack the meat and slice into 2 inch cubes.
