Opa!

Mediterranean food is one of my culinary obsessions. Not necessarily cooking it, but definitely eating it. I fell in love with this healthy way of cooking while on a family vacation to Greece in high school. My sister was studying abroad, and my parents thought it was the perfect excuse to visit Greece and the Greek Isles. Up until then, Gyro Wrap was the only experience I'd had with Mediterranean food. Now don't get me wrong, as delicious Gyro Wrap is, it ain't nothing like the real thing.

During our 9 days in Greece, I ate my way through that gorgeous country and sampled the most delicious tzatziki, souvlaki, and feta cheese. It was a glorious few days that could have lasted forever in my book. Hands down, other than my honeymoon, our trip to Greece was my all-time favorite. The combination of the crystal blue water; crisp whitewashed walls; bright blue domes; warm, breezy weather and of course the fresh, healthy cuisine made for a vacation made by the gods themselves.

This is an homage to one of my favorite Greek soups, avgolemono soup. Avgolemono, which is a Greek broth and lemon soup, is a cross between thick and thin and rich and light with flavors like lemon, chicken and rice as the main stars. Last night's dinner was a hearty and deconstructed version of this delicious soup. And how can you go wrong with a fancy chicken and rice dinner?

Greek Avgolemono Chicken and Rice
Serves 2

2 tbs. olive oil
2 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion
2 tbs. minced garlic
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 tbs. dill
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 egg
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper
white rice cooked in chicken stock

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add chicken to pan and brown on both sides. When brown, remove chicken and add onions. Cook onions until soft. Stir in garlic. Add stock to pan to deglaze and bring to a boil. Add dill, chicken and salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add artichokes, and continue to cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, add the egg, lemon juice and zest, and the cornstarch. Whisk until smooth.

Meanwhile, plate the rice. Remove chicken and place on top of the rice.

Add a couple spoonfuls of stock to the egg and lemon mixture, whisking constantly. Slowy, add egg and mixture to the pan, again whisking constantly. Stir until thickened, making sure not to break the artichokes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and rice. Serve with a Greek salad and a light white wine.

Source: Elly Says Opa!