Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Skillet

Hello, BBQ enthusiasts! Welcome back to the second entry of my Kooking Journey.

Garden Update:

Life has been bustling, and while I'd love to say we've broken ground on our BBQ haven, reality tells a different tale. It's been a whirlwind of activities between family, work at Kookio, and taking care of our baby boy. However, we're chipping away at the planning stage and have a vision for what we want to accomplish. I'll attach a photo of the current state of the garden so you can see where we're starting from. Spoiler: it's still mostly grass!

My Wife's Favorite Crowd-Pleaser:

Now, let's shift gears to something mouthwatering. While the garden is still a work in progress, that doesn't mean we've neglected the culinary side of things. We've found a delightful way to bring the outdoors in with my wife's Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Skillet. The chicken and tomatoes get their flavors intensified on our Kamado Joe grill, while the rest of the magic happens indoors. Trust me, this dish seamlessly blends hearty flavors and comforting textures, and it's incredibly easy to make.

Directions:

1. Prep the Chicken: Spatchcock the chicken and then marinate it with olive oil, fresh oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook the Chicken: Fire up your Kamado Joe to 300F. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Then shred it.
   
3. Skillet Magic: In a large skillet, sauté the chicken with balsamic vinegar and garlic. Remove the chicken after a few minutes.
4. More Skillet Action: Add the bell peppers to the skillet. Cook until soft, then stir in the orzo and water. Season and cook until water is almost absorbed. Add back the chicken, letting it warm up.
   
5. Tomato Topping: Grill the tomatoes for a bit and mix all ingredients for the tomatoes in a separate bowl. Season to your liking.
6. Tzatziki Sauce: Using a box grater, grate the cucumber into a bowl. Optionally, you can squeeze out the excess liquid. In the same bowl, add the yogurt, chopped dill, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
   
7. Serving: Spoon the tomatoes over the chicken-orzo mix, toss gently, and top with crumbled feta, the mix of olives and a dollop of tzatziki.

And there you have it—a crowd-pleaser that’s simple to make but loaded with flavors.

So while we’re still in the blueprint stage of our garden transformation, we're definitely not short on good food and even better company. Stay tuned for the next chapter of our journey as we delve deeper into the planning phase and get closer to breaking ground.

Thanks for following along. Until next time, let's keep the BBQ spirit burning!