GREEK CHICKEN MEAL STARTER (Net Wt. 23g)

INGREDIENTS:  Himalayan Pink Salt, California Lemon Peel (Lemon Peel and Sodium Sulfite, added as a preservative), Ground Coriander, Rosemary, Dried Thyme, Dried Oregano, Granulated Garlic (Dehydrated Garlic), Fine Ground Black Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:  In a large bowl, whisk packet contents with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.  Add 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or 3 chicken hindquarters (about 3 pounds worth) to bowl, turning to evenly coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.  Roast, grill, or smoke until thoroughly cooked (see below).

To prepare as Oven Roasted Greek Chicken, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  While it’s preheating, let your chicken come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Place chicken, skin side up, on prepared pan.  Roast until internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F, and the skin is crispy.  Begin checking for doneness around 35 minutes.  Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before serving.  You could easily make this a complete meal by roasting some fresh vegetables on the same pan (bite sized chunks of potatoes, onions, carrots, etc).  Just toss them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper before adding the to the pan.  As the chicken roasts, the fat will help flavor the vegetables.  It is delicious!

To prepare as Smoked Greek Chicken, (my favorite way!) preheat smoker to 350 degrees F.  While it’s preheating, let your chicken come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.  Place chicken, skin side up, on smoker and smoke for 30 minutes.  Then flip the chicken over, so it’s skin side down, and smoke for an additional 30 minutes.  At this point, if the skin isn’t as crispy as you’d like, crank the smoker to 500 degrees F and keep a close eye on it.  Remove when it’s as crispy as you’d like it.  Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before serving. You could easily throw some vegetables on the smoker as well–asparagus spears, bell peppers, onions, etc. to serve alongside the chicken.  Just toss them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper before smoking.  I use Competition-Blend Pellets.

To prepare as Grilled Greek Chicken, let your chicken come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before grilling.  Preheat grill on high for about 10 minutes, then clean and oil grates.  Leave primary burner on and turn off other burners.  Keep grill temperature around 350-400 degrees F. Place chicken, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill.  Cover and cook until internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F (about 30 minutes).  Then move chicken, skin side down, to the hotter side of the grill.  Cook until skin is as crispy as you’d like.  Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before serving.  You could easily throw some vegetables on the grill as well–asparagus spears, bell peppers, onions, etc. to serve alongside the chicken.  Just toss them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper before grilling.

To prepare as Roasted Greek Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes and Carrots, in a large bowl prepare the Greek seasoning packet according to instructions (1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and packet contents).  Add a whole pork tenderloin (about 2.5 pounds), turning to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.  When ready to prepare the meal, preheat oven to 450 degrees F and remove pork from refrigerator to bring to room temperature.  Prepare a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.  Add 1.5 pounds small potatoes and 1 pound of bite-sized raw carrots.  Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of Seasoned Salt.  Shake pan to evenly spread the oil and seasoning over the vegetables.  Roast for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When it is plenty hot, add the marinated Greek pork, and sear all sides until it has a browned crust.  Add pork directly on top of the vegetables on the pan, and continue to roast for 20 minutes or until pork is 145 degrees F.  Remove pork to cutting board; let rest 5-10 minutes.  Stir vegetables on pan and continue to roast until golden.  Slice pork and serve with vegetables.

To prepare as Creamy Greek Chicken Pasta, prepare packet according to instructions but instead use 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs.  Place in slow cooker.  Add 3/4 cup of chicken stock, 1 cup of heavy cream, and 4 ounces of cream cheese.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Add 16 ounces of rotini pasta cooked to al dente.  Stir in 4 ounces of crumbled feta, and cover for 15-20 minutes.  Add crushed red pepper to taste.

To prepare as Greek Meatballs, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Add packet contents to a large bowl along with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3/4 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 cup panko, and 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese (or crumbled feta).  Whisk until smooth and then let sit for ten minutes until the panko has softened.  Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground lamb, and gently mix together until just combined.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Form meat mixture into 1/4 cup size balls and place on prepared pan.  Bake 20 minutes, then flip them over, and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Serve with rice or pita bread, tzatziki sauce, feta, greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.

To prepare as Greek Burrata with Baguette, warm up a store-bought baguette according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl prepare the Greek packet as instructed (packet contents with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice).  Set aside.  Remove burrata ball from container and place on a serving plate.  (If you’ve never had burrata, it is a fresh mozzarella ball filled with cream–super delicious!)  Drizzle prepared Greek mixture over top of the burrata.  Serve with the warmed baguette.

To prepare are a Freezer Meal, prepare marinade according to packet instructions.  Place uncooked chicken in a gallon freezer bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, seal bag tightly, and rub marinade all over to evenly coat.  Freeze immediately.  Later when you thaw the meat, it will continue to marinade.  Can be frozen for up to two months.

This product was produced at a Home Food Processing Establishment and was made in a facility that also processes wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, and sesame.  Extend shelf life by storing in a cool, dark, dry place.