Greek Chicken Kabobs with Yogurt Sauce

Kabobs are usually a great choice for a healthy meal. It's quick and easy to make as well. One of my friends introduced me to Greek food a few months ago and I immediately fell in love with it! (See, I thought I was culturalized but there are so many kinds of ethnic foods that I haven't tried yet!) Well, now I know how to cook one of many great Greek dishes. Next time, I am going to try to make some Gyros! Lamb is definitely the usual choice for Greek kabobs but this recipes uses chicken, which is marinaded in, and then served with a traditional and also flavorful yogurt sauce. My husband also loved the rice that I made to go with the kabobs. I will also post the rice recipe on here toward the end.

Greek Chicken Kabobs with Yogurt Sauce
Adapted from Ethnic Cuisine

Ingredients:

3-4 large chicken breasts
olive oil, for oiling
8 firm rosemary stems (optional)
shredded romaine lettuce, to serve
lemon wedges, to garnish

Yogurt Sauce:
1 1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as oregano, dill, tarragon, or parsley
salt and pepper

Directions:

For the sauce, put the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste in a large, nonmetallic bowl and mix well together. Set aside a quarter of the sauce, then cover and refrigerate until required.

Cut the chicken into chunks measuring about 1 1/2 inches/4cm square. Add to the remaining sauce in the bowl and toss until the chicken pieces are well coated. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes (to keep it from burning on grill).

On hot grill (I used indoor grill), place the kabobs and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Turn the kabobs to prevent them from burning. Pour the reserved yogurt sauce over the cooked kabobs or serve the yogurt sauce separately to dip.

*Greek Rice Pilaf

3 cups cooked rice (preferably about a day old rice)
1-2 tbsp softened butter
2 chicken bullion cubes + 1/4 cup water (mixed together)

In large pan, bring the butter and rice over medium high heat. Stir the rice frequently with a spatula to coat it with butter evenly. Pour the chicken bullion mix over the rice and stir constantly until the rice turns yellowish color. You may add some garlic salt if desired.