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Pan-seared chicken cubes over romaine with cucumber, tomato and feta beside a bowl of tzatziki on a white plate

Pan-Seared Low-Cal Chicken Souvlaki Plate with Tzatziki

Pan-seared lemon-oregano chicken with tzatziki, chopped salad and mini pitas. About 485 calories and 55 g of protein per plate.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings: 4 plates
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek-inspired
Calories: 412
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken souvlaki
  • 600 g boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 2.5 cm / 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for the marinade
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice about 1 large lemon
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp olive oil for the skillet, divided
Tzatziki
  • 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt / 240 g
  • 100 g cucumber grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 garlic small clove; grated
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Salad and plate
  • 300 g cucumber diced
  • 300 g tomatoes chopped
  • 50 g red onion thinly sliced
  • 30 g Kalamata olives halved
  • 40 g feta crumbled
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar for the salad
  • 4 mini whole-wheat pitas about 30 g each
  • 1 lemon cut into 4 wedges, for serving

Method
 

  1. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a 2 L / 2-quart bowl. Add the chicken cubes and toss until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, and no longer than 2 hours.
  2. While the chicken marinates, squeeze the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel until it stops dripping. Stir it into the Greek yogurt with the grated garlic, lemon juice, dill and salt, then chill. Dice the salad cucumber, tomatoes and red onion, halve the olives, and keep it all cold and undressed.
  3. Lift the chicken from the marinade, let the excess drip off, and pat the cubes dry with paper towels. Heat a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet with 1/2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add half the chicken in a single layer with space between the cubes. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until browned on all sides, opaque white in the center and 165 F / 74 C on an instant-read thermometer.
  4. Move the first batch to a plate, wipe the skillet, and repeat with the remaining 1/2 tsp oil and chicken. Tent all the chicken with foil and rest it 3 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the pitas in the same dry skillet over medium heat, 30 seconds per side.
  5. Toss the chopped vegetables and olives with the 2 tsp red wine vinegar and top with the feta. Divide the chicken, tzatziki, salad and pitas among four plates and add a lemon wedge to each.

Notes

  • Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes, and keep it under 2 hours.
  • Sear in two batches so the cubes brown instead of steaming.
  • Squeeze the grated cucumber dry before it goes into the yogurt.
  • Skip the pita to bring each plate down to about 405 calories.