First You Get A Chicken

First you get a chicken…

This was a famous family mantra whenever the question of how to make "Greek chicken" came up. "First you get a chicken" someone would say in English with a corny Greek accent.  Avogolemeno- Greek chicken soup, chicken with macaroni that my Yiya used to make for her Georgie, and the lemon basted kind that was made on the grill. The priest would come for Sunday dinner now and then, and, during the Depression, when there was barely enough to go around, Yiya would announce that Georgie gets the wing; Georgie likes the wing!! My dad always did like wings and would get a fried chicken wing sandwich at the Florida Avenue Grill back when they served such a thing. 

 The important thing to know about chicken is it can be just about anything and any nationality you want it to be. As Forrest would say you can: Roast it. Boil it. Fry it. Bake it. Grill. Broil. Make Tacos. Souvlaki. Curry. Greek soup.

Roasted Baked Chicken Plain, with Lemon or Tomato sauce*

You will need chicken, spray oil or olive oil, salt and pepper and herbs like oregano or thyme optional (and lemon if that's the way you want to go)

Whether it is pieces or the whole bird, start with a really hot oven… 425 should do, but sometimes I go crazy and do 439. And don’t get boneless, skinless anything. If you want to cut down on fat - rip the skin off yourself, but keep the bones- they add to the flavor. I love cooking with cast iron skillets-so I will spray with cooking oil and throw that in the preheating oven, but you can also use a baking pan. 

Liberally sprinkle the bird with salt and pepper. If you ripped the skin off, drizzle those pieces with olive oil or lightly spray with oil. 

That’s it. 

If you want a baked potato- put that in the oven about fifteen minutes before the chicken. If you want veggies like broccoli or asparagus or small potatoes..you can throw those in later. Just make sure you time it right (about 15 min for broccoli- 20 for little potatoes, and hour for a baked potato) Except for baked potatoes, spray the vegetables with oil or toss them in a bowl of olive oil. 

After about 10 minutes of roasting,  turn the oven temp down to 340 without opening the oven door unless you need to throw in vegetables. 

Breasts take about 25 minutes. Thighs about the same if they are small. A whole bird is about 20 minutes a pound. Stick a sharp knife into the thickest parts when the time is up and see if the juices run clear. That means it’s ready. (If juices are pink, put it back in for 10 -15 and try again.)

Tomato Sauce version-Papou's Favorite

 serve with macaroni (very thick spaghetti)and parmesan

You will need 1-2 onions depending on size, a couple of cloves of garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and a large can of chopped or crushed tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

Cut up and cook the onion. Mince the garlic. Heat a Tbspn of olive oil and soften the onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic- cook a minute then add the sauce, salt and pepper and oregano and any other seasonings you want. 

Pour this sauce over the chicken.

Cooking times same as above.

Thin the sauce with chicken broth or adding butter to the pasta  is optional.

For Lemon Chicken 

You will need chicken, spray oil or olive oil, salt and pepper and herbs like oregano or thyme optional and lemon.

This was a favorite for out door parties, and always smelled like heaven sizzling on the brick grill that Dad made himself. He had rigged up a rotisserie, and I remember the whining sound it made as the chicken lumbered around on a spit above a charcoal fire, but this recipe works well inside the oven, too. Marinate the chicken for a few hours or just 20 minutes if short on time. 

Mix fresh squeezed lemon juice with olive oil and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. That's it. Maybe oregano or thyme depending on mood. Spray with oil before cooking- use the same method as above-starting with a very hot oven, but give it another squeeze of lemon before it goes in and when it comes out. This version is also good under the broiler. Add "greek" potatoes to the pan by giving them a squeeze of lemon, too. (and salt and pepper) Serve with feta cheese and spinach. Yum

Greek Chicken Soup

First you get a chicken..depending on how much soup you want to make, but leftover chicken can be used for sandwiches, tacos...curried chicken salad- anything. Also leftover broth can be frozen for other recipes. 

 

You will also need: 1-2 lemons, orzo pasta, an onion, carrots and celery optional, oregano and thyme optional, and 2-3 eggs- depending on how big a batch you want to make.

I usually do a pack of bone-in chicken thighs. Rip the skin of as there is not much point in adding the fat here. Throw the chicken in a pot of water with whatever is lying around  in your vegetable bin. The thick outer skin of an onion, older carrots, celery, peels asparagus etc. Onion is essential, but everything else is optional. Use about 6-7-8 cups of water- depending on how big a batch you are making. Add at least a tablespoon  of salt and pepper, and herbs like thyme, oregano, and/or a bay leaf. 

Bring to a boil- then turn down to simmer for 20-25 minutes. The chicken should be done by then, but even if it isn't you can cook it a bit more later.  Pull the chicken out and set aside. Drain the broth through a strainer and into another pot. Now you have the broth. 

Let’s say you are working with about 6 cups of broth. Heat it up to a boil then add about a cup of minestra. (The Italians call it Orzo.)  Cook a little less than 10 minutes or until almost done. Al dente. (pasta will still absorb some water after you turn the heat off)

While waiting for the pasta to cook- shred or cut up the amount of chicken you want in the soup if you want chicken in your soup.

When the pasta is done let cool off for about five minutes or so. (Do not drain!)

Next beat 2-3 eggs in a separate bowl. 

Here's the tricky part- tempering. 

Take a tablespoonful of the hot broth and add it to the beaten eggs. Mix it up and repeat a few times so the eggs get used to the heat, otherwise you get a curdling mess. When eggs and broth are feeling relaxed together...maybe up to about a cup of broth mixed in with your eggs... take a breath and introduce the egg mix to the big pot of broth mix and voila!

 Almost there. 

Get a lemon and extract the juice, and add probably a half a lemon's worth until it tastes good to you. Might need a bit more salt and pepper, too. Then add as much chicken as you like.

FRIED CHICKEN

Even though my mother made Greek chicken the most, fried chicken was really her favorite. It's easy but messy to make. Get out the ole cast iron- fill with about an inch of oil and heat it up. Soak the chicken in milk for a bit /spray with oil and roll the pieces in breadcrumbs or cornmeal. The trick is too make sure the oil is good and hot when you put the chicken in- just short of smoking, and don't put too many pieces in at one time. Have a toaster or regular oven going if you want to keep the done pieces hot while you work on the others. Wear an apron if you have or old clothes if you don't as popping grease stains and gets on every surface nearby unless you use one of those screen things.  After about 20 minutes-stick a knife in to see if juices run clear (bigger pieces will take longer)