Greek Chicken for Dinner; Dessert in the ER

Oh, my poor, little blog has been so neglected this month.  I’m surprised it didn’t refuse my login ID and password out of spite.  I couldn’t have blamed it.  Sometimes, my real life bears precedence over my e-life, and this February has been one of those times.  I decided my blog needed some love, and I better pick an extra delicious recipe to write about in order to show my true affections for my sweet, little blog.  I chose Greek Chicken Thighs, which I found on my newest food obsession, TasteSpotting (world’s greatest website, I assure you).  The implicated chicken thighs are laden with grape tomatoes, garlic, shallots, lemon, and lush olives.  They are finished with feta and parsley, and I thought this would an utter vision of loveliness over couscous and wilted spinach.  I was particularly smitten over the cooking style: the dish is started on the stove, and then finished in the oven.  The notion of roasted grape tomatoes was irresistible.  This recipe and the ensuing post seemed to be the perfect offering to my neglected blog and readers. 

Let me assure you, the results were everything I hoped for, plus a little more than I bargained for.  What could that be, you ask?  Oh, just a joy ride to the ER due to extensive second-degree burns, and unmanageable pain.  The most attractive element of the dish turned around and bit back: the little trip to the oven.  I got the chicken in the oven safely.  I got it out of the oven without the tiniest hiccup.  My downfall: I wanted it just a touch roastier (no, this is not a word), and thought that a few more minutes in the oven were in order.  The chicken was in a sauté pan.  I usually see such a pan on the stove, and I usually pick up the handle, and this is usually not a problem.  However, it apparently slipped my mind that, on this particular evening, this particular sauté pan had spent some quality time in a 450-degree oven.  


I foolishly and whole-heartedly grabbed the handle.  My hand was on it so briefly that the pan never even lifted off the stove, but this millisecond of contact was still enough to do some major damage.  I now wear a bandage that requires a blueprint and makes me resemble Michael Jackson (if only I could find gauze with sparkles).  Underneath this architectural masterpiece, you can see exactly where the handle touched my skin, clearly delineated in a series of blisters.  Oh, well.  The good news: according the experts at the burn clinic (and I think I can trust them), no skin graft is necessary, and I’ve been prescribed enough Percocet to kill a small horse.  The bad news:  my bandage takes half an hour to assemble, and I am now functioning primarily with my left hand, although I am able to type (hallelujah!).  If something involves heat, moisture, dirt, or chemicals, I am a one-hand show these days (try showering or washing dishes using only your non-dominant hand.  It’s not easy). 

Clearly, by the presence of the pictures of this dish, I was deep in denial about the state of my wound.  Most pictures were taken with my left hand, while the afflicted hand soaked in a bowl of cool water.  Given the circumstances, I think they are pretty good.  And, honestly, this chicken was delicious!  If you are not a lover of dark meat, chicken breasts would be a fine substitute, but don’t come crying to me when they are dry.  I never got around to the sautéed spinach, for obvious reasons, but if you can pull this off and stay out of the ER, I would recommend it.  The moral of this story: be careful in the kitchen; cooking is apparently a dangerous business.  This is not my first kitchen causality, nor will it be my last, but I certainly hope that it is my worst.  Mysteriously, I sober when this occurred.  Perhaps, vodka has protective powers, and I should never be without it.  Hmmm… I will look into it, and get back to you. 

Greek Chicken Thighs (adapted from “For the Love of Cooking”)

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

1-2 shallots, sliced into thin rings

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 ½ -2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat, and cut in half if they are huge

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Garlic salt, to taste (about a teaspoon or so)

Dried oregano, to taste

Half package of grape tomatoes, halved (about 25)

1 lemon juiced

Zest of one lemon

1/3 t- ½ cup of chicken stock

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

10 to 12 Greek olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used a mix of kalamata and green)

Crumbled feta cheese

·      Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (425 at sea level).

·      Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in an oven safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender (about 3-5 minutes).  Remove from the pan, and mix with grape tomatoes.

·      Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with pepper, garlic salt, and oregano to taste on each side. Once the pan is very hot, add the seasoned chicken to the pan.

·      Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken has browned nicely on one side.  While the chicken browns, mix together stock, pepper flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice (you should have about ½ to ¾ cup liquid).

·      When the chicken is golden, flip it.  Add the sauce mixture, and grape tomato-shallot mixture. Place in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

·      Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley, olives, and feta cheese.