Fuel your body, lift your mood, and keep things simple. That’s what the Recovery Kitchen is all about.
Chicken Souvlaki with Greek Village Salad & Homemade Tzatziki
Greek-inspired wraps and skewered meats have been enjoyed for centuries, with roots tracing back to the Bronze Age civilizations of Santorini and Mycenae. By the early 1900s, these flavorful handheld meals had become a staple of Athens street food culture, loved for their simplicity, warmth, and ability to bring people together.
Traditionally prepared with pork, modern versions have evolved over time as ingredients, cultures, and preferences changed. Chicken eventually became a popular variation, reflecting both wider poultry availability and the way recipes naturally adapt across generations and regions. Like many beloved dishes throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, the origins of these recipes are often shared and celebrated by many cultures, each adding their own local ingredients, traditions, and cooking styles.
What makes food truly special is not who created it first, but how it connects us. Across every table, kitchen, and community, recipes continue to evolve while carrying stories, memories, and traditions with them. The landscape, the ingredients available, and the people preparing the meal all shape each unique version.
In the Recovery Kitchen, meals like this remind us that food is more than nourishment. Through cooking, we can explore new flavors, experience different cultures, and create meaningful moments right in our own kitchens. No matter where we come from, food is love, and food is life.
In the Recovery Kitchen, food isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress, comfort,
and rediscovering joy.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TZATZIKI
Tzatziki is a creamy, tangy Greek dip or sauce made from strained yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and herbs like dill, often with lemon juice or vinegar.
Ingredients
- 2 cups thick whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 English Cucumber peeled and seeded
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ cup Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp fresh mint
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- Salt and white pepper to taste
cup = 8 oz.
tbsp = tablespoon
Directions
With Blender
- Combine all ingredients in Blender and pulse for 1-2 minutes
- Pour blended ingredients into a medium bowl – cover
- Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use letting the flavors marry and develop.
Without Blender
- Grate cucumber using the largest holes on a box grater. Drain the grated cucumber by pressing down on it over fine mesh sieve over a bowl.
- Mince or grate the garlic
- Combine the drained cucumber with yogurt, garlic, herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl
- Chill Let the flavors meld (marry and grow) in the refrigerator before serving
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RECIPE TIPS
How To Juice a Lemon
-
- Roll the lemon firmly on the countertop using the palm of your hand for 10–15 seconds. This helps loosen the juices inside.
- For even more juice, microwave the lemon for 10–15 seconds. A slightly warm lemon releases juice more easily.
- Cut the lemon crosswise through the middle, not lengthwise from end to end.
- Use a citrus juicer, fork, spoon, or your hands to squeeze the lemon over a bowl. Twisting the fork or spoon inside the lemon while squeezing can help release extra juice.
- Remove any seeds before adding the juice to your recipe.
One average lemon usually yields about 2–3 tablespoons of juice.
How To Seed a Cucumber
- Wash the cucumber thoroughly and dry it with a clean towel.
- Peel depending upon the type of cucumber
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise from top to bottom.
- Using a small spoon, gently scrape down the center of each half to remove the seeds. A teaspoon works well for this step.
- Continue scraping until the soft seeded center is removed, leaving the firmer cucumber flesh behind.
- Grate or finely chop the cucumber and squeeze out as much excess water as possible using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Removing the moisture helps keep the tzatziki thick, creamy, and flavorful instead of watery.
To Peel or Not Peel the Cucumber
English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers have thinner skins. You can completely peel them or leave small stripes of peel on for added color and texture if preferred.
If using standard garden cucumbers, peeling is usually best since their skins tend to be thicker and slightly waxy.
HOW TO MAKE HORIATIKI GREEK VILLAGE SALAD
Fresh, colorful, and full of Mediterranean flavor, Horiatiki Greek Village Salad celebrates the beauty of simple ingredients coming together in one vibrant dish. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, briny Kalamata olives, creamy feta, and fragrant oregano are tossed with olive oil and lemon for a salad that feels both refreshing and satisfying. Whether served alongside grilled meats or enjoyed on its own, this traditional Greek favorite brings brightness, texture, and balance to every bite.
Ingredients
- 4 vine ripe tomatoes-cut into wedges
- 1 English Cucumber- medium diced
- 1 red onion- medium diced
- 1 green &1 red bell pepper sliced into medium chunks
- 20-30 pitted Kalamata olives
- 8 oz. Feta cheese – crumbled
- 1/3 cup Greek olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon-juiced
- 3 tbsp dried oregano
- Balsamic glaze- to drizzle per preference
- Salt and pepper to taste
tbsp = tablespoon
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in large bowl
- Add oil and seasoning, toss
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze
- Add crumbled feta
RECIPE TIPS
Balsamic Glaze versus High Quality Balsamic Vinegar
In Greek salads and Mediterranean dishes, either can work beautifully. High-quality balsamic vinegar adds a lighter, tangy flavor, while balsamic glaze gives a sweeter finish and dramatic presentation.
Balsamic glaze is balsamic vinegar that has been slowly reduced until it becomes thick, syrupy, and naturally sweeter. Some store-bought versions may also contain added sweeteners such as sugar or grape must. Because it is thicker, balsamic glaze clings nicely to food and creates a beautiful presentation
- Thick, smooth, syrup-like texture
• Sweeter and less acidic
• Best used as a finishing drizzle
• Great for salads, grilled vegetables, meats, fruit, pizza, or decorative plating
High-Quality Balsamic Vinegar
A high-quality balsamic vinegar is thinner, more complex, and balanced between sweetness and acidity. Traditional balsamic vinegars are aged over time, developing deep flavors with notes of fruit, wood, and caramel. For quality balsamic vinegar, look for:
• “Modena” on the label
• Grape must listed as a main ingredient
• Fewer additives and no artificial coloring
• Aged varieties for deeper flavor
How to Make a Balsamic Glaze Reduction
In a small saucepan, simmer balsamic vinegar for 5-10 minutes Keep heat at medium-low when reducing the balsamic to prevent it from turning bitter.
To tell when balsamic vinegar has been reduced enough using a spoon, look for it to create a thick, syrupy layer that coats the back of a metal spoon without running off immediately. The reduction should be done when it reaches a consistency similar to maple syrup, usually after it has reduced by half or one-third
Here are the best ways to test it with a spoon:
- The Coating Test: Dip a spoon into the mixture, lift it out, and hold it up. It is ready when the liquid forms a thin, glossy film and coats the back of the spoon rather than dripping off quickly.
- The Finger Swipe Test: Dip the back of a spoon into the reduction, then run your finger through the liquid on the spoon. If it leaves a clear channel that doesn’t run back together, it is done.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SOUVLAKI
Fresh, colorful, and full of Mediterranean flavor, Horiatiki Greek Village Salad celebrates the beauty of simple ingredients coming together in one vibrant dish. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, briny Kalamata olives, creamy feta, and fragrant oregano are tossed with olive oil and lemon for a salad that feels both refreshing and satisfying. Whether served alongside grilled meats or enjoyed on its own, this traditional Greek favorite brings brightness, texture, and balance to every bite.
Ingredients
- 5-2 lbs cubed chicken breast ( cubes about 1 to 1½ inches in size)
- 1/3 c olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vin
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon 4 clove garlic minced
- 4 tbsp dried oregano,
- 2 tbsp salt,
- 1 tbsp pepper
tbsp = tablespoon
Directions
- To make the marinade combine all the ingredients except the chicken together.
- Mix well
- Put the cubed chicken into a medium-sized bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix well
- Marinade the chicken cubes minimum 2 hours- 6 hours
- Soak wooden skewers in water for 5 minutes
- Add meat to skewers. When threading onto skewers, leave a small amount of space between each piece to help the heat circulate evenly around the chicken.
- Heat grill to medium high heat about 425F
- Grill skewers for 5-6 minutes- chicken internal temp must reach 165 for 15 seconds
- Don’t have a grill? See alternatives under Helpful Tips for Chicken Souvlaki
RECIPE TIPS
Why cut the chicken breast into cubes about 1 to 1½ inches in size?
This size allows the chicken to cook evenly while staying juicy and tender on the inside.
Tips for Best Results:
- Keep the pieces as uniform as possible so they cook at the same rate
- Pieces that are too small may dry out quickly on the grill
- Pieces that are too large may cook unevenly or take too long to cook through
- Slightly larger cubes work especially well for grilling because they stay moist
- When threading onto skewers, leave a small amount of space between each piece to help the heat circulate evenly around the chicken.
How To Make Lemon Zest
What lemon zest is
- It is only the colored yellow skin, not the white pith underneath, which tastes bitter.
- It adds concentrated lemon flavor to dishes without adding liquid like juice does, so it is ideal for baking and for finishing savory dishes.
How to make lemon zest (with a microplane/zester)
- Wash and dry the lemon well; if you like, briefly soak in water with a little baking soda, then rinse, to remove any residue.
- Hold the lemon in one hand and a microplane or fine grater in the other, with the sharp side against the peel.
- Lightly scrape the lemon across the grater, rotating the fruit so you remove only the yellow layer in thin shavings.
- Stop as soon as you see the white pith and move to a new spot; collect the fine shreds of zest from the back of the grater and measure for your recipe.
How to zest without a special zester
Box grater: Use the smallest holes and gently rub the lemon over them, again stopping before you hit the white pith.
How to get zest out of a box grater
- Hold the box grater over your cutting board or a plate.
- Firmly tap the sides and bottomof the grater with the palm of your hand or the handle of a spoon to knock loose zest onto the board.
Vegetable peeler or paring knife: Peel off thin strips of only the yellow skin, then mince the strips very finely with a chef’s knife to make “zest”
ALTERNATIVES TO USING A REAL GRILL
- Grill Pan
A stovetop grill pan is one of the best alternatives because it creates grill marks and adds a lightly charred flavor similar to outdoor grilling. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and cook the skewers while turning occasionally. - Cast Iron Skillet
A cast iron skillet works very well for achieving browning and caramelization. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown and fully cooked through. - Broiler
The oven broiler can mimic the high heat of a grill. Place the skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil them a few inches below the heating element, turning halfway through cooking. - Oven Baking
Chicken Souvlaki can also be baked in the oven at 425°F until cooked through. For extra color, finish under the broiler for the last few minutes. - Air Fryer
An air fryer is another convenient option. Cook the chicken skewers in a single layer at about 400°F, turning once during cooking for even browning.
HOW TO PRESENT AND SERVE THE MEAL
Once the Homemade Tzatziki, Greek Village Salad, and Chicken Souvlaki are prepared, the meal can be served family-style or plated individually for a colorful Mediterranean-inspired presentation.
This style of meal encourages sharing, conversation, and enjoying a variety of textures and flavors together: cool and creamy tzatziki, crisp vegetables, smoky grilled chicken, and warm bread.
In the spirit of the Recovery Kitchen, meals like this remind us that food is not only nourishing, but also a way to connect, slow down, and enjoy the experience of eating together.
Family-Style Serving
Arrange the Chicken Souvlaki skewers on a large serving platter with lemon wedges scattered around the edges. Place the Homemade Tzatziki in a bowl nearby for dipping or spooning onto the chicken.
Serve the Greek Village Salad in a large shallow bowl or platter so the colorful vegetables, olives, feta, and herbs are visible. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze if desired.
Warm pita bread, flatbread, or grilled naan can be placed in a basket lined with a clean kitchen towel to help keep the bread warm and soft.
Individual Plate Presentation
For individual servings, place one or two Chicken Souvlaki skewers on each plate and add a generous spoonful of tzatziki beside the chicken. Serve a portion of Greek Village Salad on the side, along with warm pita bread or roasted potatoes if desired. Finish the plate with lemon wedges, fresh herbs, or an extra drizzle of olive oil for added flavor and presentation.
