Greek Chicken Skewers with Cauliflower Rice

Are you craving something light yet rich on the taste buds? Try our beautifully marinated chicken skewered with sliced zucchini, served alongside butter-and-herb infused cauliflower rice and a sprinkle of feta cheese. 

Let’s face it; there’s a reason eating meat on a stick is an extremely pleasurable experience. Reminiscent of backyard barbecues, food trucks, and al fresco dining, skewers can be customized exactly to your preferences and filled with a variety of delicious meat and vegetables. Plus, the classic way of preparing skewers is to grill them over a flame, which imparts that unmistakable smoky flavor.

In this dish, tender marinated chicken is threaded with zucchini slices, which provide a natural sweetness to the meat. The trick of taking the chicken to the next level is by giving it ample time to incorporate with the marinade. A few hours will do the trick, but if you want it to fully meld with the flavors of lemon, garlic, and all the herbs and spices, leaving it overnight yields the best result.

The chicken and zucchini are elevated even further with a side of fresh cauliflower rice. Unlike regular rice, which can make you feel heavy and bloated after eating, cauliflower rice is low in carbs, high in fiber, and takes on sauces and spices well—in this case, a generous mix of butter and dried herbs. Don’t forget to top the skewers and cauliflower rice with some crumbled feta cheese before serving! The sharp and distinct salty taste of feta will really bring the Mediterranean spirit to this dish.

Yields 4 servings of Greek Chicken Skewers with Cauliflower Rice

The Preparation

Chicken Skewers:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium lemon, juice and zest
• 4 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 24 ounce boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ cubes
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4″ inch slices
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, for garnish

Cauliflower Rice:

• 400 gram cauliflower, riced
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste

The Execution

1. Gather and prep all ingredients. Cut the chicken into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes. Slice the zucchini into ~3/4 inch thick pieces.

2. Create the marinade by combining the olive oil, juice and zest from lemon, minced garlic, paprika, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Pour the marinade over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Marinade for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

4. Pre-heat grill to medium-high. Skewer the chicken and zucchini, alternating between pieces.

5. Grill the skewers for 3 minutes per side, rotating 1/4 turn as you go along. Chicken should be charred and fully cooked once finished.

6. Prepare the cauliflower rice by adding butter to a pan over medium-high heat. Once melted and bubbling, add in the cauliflower. Season with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Stir frequently allowing moisture to release from cauliflower.

7. Once cauliflower is tender but has bite, serve with the skewers. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top and enjoy!

This makes a total of 4 servings of Greek Chicken Skewers with Cauliflower Rice. Each serving comes out to be 545 calories, 43.1g fats, 7.8g net carbs, and 34.0g protein.

NUTRITION	CALORIES	FAT	CARBS	FIBER	NET CARBS	PROTEIN
24.00 ounce boneless, skinless chicken thighs	973	60.8	0	0	0	115.4
2.00 medium zucchini	65	1.6	11.7	4.3	7.3	5
0.25 cup olive oil	477	54	0	0	0	0
1.00 medium lemon	24	0.3	7.8	2.4	5.5	0.9
4.00 teaspoon fresh garlic	17	0.1	3.8	0.2	3.5	0.7
1.00 teaspoon dried rosemary	4	0.2	0.7	0.5	0.3	0.1
1.00 teaspoon italian seasoning	3	0.1	0.6	0.4	0.2	0.1
1.00 teaspoon paprika	6	0.3	1.2	0.8	0.4	0.3
0.00 none salt and pepper	0	0	0	0	0	0
0.25 cup feta cheese	99	8	1.5	0	1.5	5.3
400.00 gram cauliflower rice	100	1.2	20	8	12	7.6
4.00 tablespoon butter	407	46	0	0	0	0.5
1.00 teaspoon italian seasoning	3	0.1	0.6	0.4	0.2	0.1
0.00 none salt and pepper	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	2178	172.5	48	17	31	136
Per Serving (/4)	545	43.1	12.0	4.3	7.8	34.0