A few years ago, I planted an herb garden in my backyard. Althought I knew that oregano was supposed to come back year after year, I had no idea at the time what that really meant. Oregano is an herb that thrives in St. Louis weather and will take over your garden. With its disproportional presence, it was time to create a recipe to put it to use.
I’m not particularly knowledgable about oregano. It is not my “go-to” herb like my lemon basil or sage. Most of the food I cook does not call for large quantities of oregano, so it was time to branch out.
Greek and Italian cooking use quite a bit of this herb, so I started reading up on those recipes first. I love the flavors of a gyro and decided to use that as inspiration for my experiment. In the end, I settled on an oregano-marinated chicken that could stand alone or be used as a healthy alternative in a gyro.
To make this chicken, take a large handful of fresh oregano. Remove the leaves from half of the stems by pulling away from the top and leaving the other stems intact. Add the juice from four lemons, about a half cup of olive oil, a little Greek seasoning, Kosher salt, and pepper to taste (using more Kosher salt that you might think), and put it all in a large ziplock back. For good measure, throw the squeezed lemons into the bag as well. After closing the bag and combining the ingredients, add four or five chicken breasts and marinate overnight.
The next morning, grill the chicken on a hot grill until just done. Do not overcook or it will be dry. Once finished, set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Use as a main dish with Greek-inspired sides or warm up a pita, fill with the chicken, and top with lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce.
I can now enjoy this easy, healthy summer staple anytime with my family...and my neighbors....and my friends...and my acquaintances....perhaps my mail carrier....
