Balsamic Glazed Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki

We’re midway through summer, and if you’re running out of ideas for the grill here’s a super easy Balsamic Glazed Chicken Skewer recipe that will keep the summer sizzle going. Featuring our sticky and sweet Krinos Balsamic Glaze along with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a mix of herbs and spices with a touch of brown sugar. Follow along for your next favourite summer recipe.

Prep and a good marinade are the keys to the getting the most flavour packed into the meat for these skewers. In this recipe we call for chicken thighs – why? Dark meat stands up to higher heat cooking and retains its juiciness and flavour.

First, cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into roughly 1-inch chunks and set aside in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, create the marinade by combining the extra virgin olive oil with the balsamic glaze, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, onion and garlic powder, salt, fresh parsley and rosemary and Greek oregano. Mix until combined and reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for basting on the grill.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for the chicken to soak up all of the deliciousness in the marinade. Pro-tip: At this point consider that if using bamboo vs metal skewers ensure they are pre-soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to avoid burning.

Next, preheat BBQ or grill pan to medium-high heat.  Thread 4-5 pieces of chicken onto each skewer.

Place the skewers onto the grill and cook for 9-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Using the reserved marinade, use a brush to baste the skewers frequently to reinforce that flavour and keep them extra juicy! Continue to cook until an internal temperature of 165° F degrees is reached. Baste one more time before serving, and enjoy with a hearty helping of Krinos Tzatziki Dip. Add warm grilled pitas, and a fresh salad for an easy summer dinner al fresco.

Enjoy your outdoor entertaining – cheers!

Click here for full recipe

Grilled Halloumi Panzanella Salad

Summer is here and we know you are ready to enjoy the fresh bounty that it has to offer. A bright, fresh, and super satisfying summer salad is the perfect way to do this! Panzanella is commonly known as the salad that uses chunks of day-old bread to add body and crunch to a juicy salad. In our version, juicy seasonal heirloom and cherry tomatoes are paired with cool cucumber, pickled red onions, then tossed and topped with our creamy, fragrant grilled Halloumi. A simple Greek honey & balsamic dressing drapes the top of this stunner for the perfect summer meal that comes together in a pinch.

First, combine Krinos extra virgin olive oil, balsamic, Attiki honey, salt and pepper for the dressing and set aside to allow the flavours to come together.

Second, the base to this salad is a beautiful sourdough loaf that has been torn or cut into cubes. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment and drizzle oil over top and sprinkle with salt and pepper then toss to coat evenly. Bake until gold and crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

Next, preheat your grill, or grill pan to high heat. (a regular non-stick pan can be used, you will get a more even golden colour vs grill marks). Slice halloumi, roughly 1 cm thick and set aside. Brush grill with olive oil to prevent sticking. Reduce heat to medium and grill until well-charred but not burnt, this will only take 1-2 minutes.

To assemble the salad, place cucumbers and tomatoes on a plate, top with halloumi, your homemade croutons and pickled onion. Garnish with basil and drizzle with the prepared dressing and enjoy!

Click here to discover the full recipe!

Mother’s Day Fillo Mille Feuille

Mother’s Day is around the corner, and we have the most delicate, delicious, and special treat for mom this year! Our lemon-scented, cream filled, mille-feuille is dotted with fresh and fragrant raspberries and stacked with light, crisp layers of fillo, making for a beautifully elegant plate. While mille-feuille literally means a “thousand layers” this dessert takes less than 30 minutes to create!

First start with thawed Krinos Fillo sheets and ensure, as always, they are set under a damp towel to avoid cracking and drying out. Have a small pot of melted butter ready to go with your pastry brush. Preheat oven to 350oF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Next you will mix lemon zest into the sugar combining the two will give each layer of fillo a hint of lemon flavour. Once the sugar has been blended with the zest, set aside.

Working with one fillo sheet at a time, brush melted butter onto the sheet then sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the lemon-scented sugar on the sheet. Repeat with 3 additional sheets, for a total of 4. Cut the fillo sheet stack in half, and then again to create 4 equal quarters, a pizza cutter or sharp knife (non-serrated) is a great tool to use for this. Cut each quartered section into 3 rectangles, 12 total).

Place each rectangle stack gently onto the baking sheet. Place the other piece of parchment on top of the fillo stacks, then the other baking sheet on top of them to avoid puffing in the oven, keeping them flat and crisp. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the additional baking sheet and parchment and continue baking another 2-3 minutes until golden. Repeat process again until you have 24 stacks, let cool slightly or cream will melt.

Next is the Chantilly cream. In a mixer on medium, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, mascarpone, and the seeds of a vanilla bean pod until stiff peaks form. Have fresh raspberries ready, or any other berry mom likes best, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or a mix of all work well with this recipe!

Now you are ready to assemble the crisp, golden mille-feuille, and don’t worry about it being perfect, as long as they are stacked with love! This is a great step for the little ones to help out with as well. Place a filo stack down, top with cream and berries, and repeat once more, ending with a fillo topper. Dust with more powdered sugar and you are ready to serve.

Celebrate this year with our Mother’s Day Mille Feuille and you’ll have mom saying mille-thanks!

See full recipe here: Fillo Mille Feuille

A Fresh Take on Easy, Spring Recipes

Winter is coming to an end and the transition from oh-so-comforting recipes to fresh Spring flavours  is upon is! Our Krinos Feta is the perfect pairing for these vibrant, tasty, and super easy to prepare recipes featured this month – which one will be your favourite?

This is not your ordinary grilled chicken wrap!  In less than 30 minutes you can transform a standard grilled chicken by adding some spring freshness and crunch with our Chicken & Green Apple Wraps with Feta! Chicken breast is seasoned with salt, pepper, and a touch of cayenne pepper (optional) and cooked through in a skillet. Once cooled, the chicken is sliced into strips. Next is to make your own spicy mayo – simply mix your mayo of choice, salt, pepper, cumin and chili power in a bowl. Spread your homemade mayo onto warmed tortillas, and place arugula, diced green apple, the chicken and as much feta s you like, then roll into a wrap and serve! Want to add an extra level of fun for the kiddos this March break? Create a make-your-own wrap bar and have them fill their own tortillas with the toppings of their choice!

We couldn’t leave out one of our absolute favourites, our Air Fryer Broccoli & Feta Salad. Quick, delicious and super-satisfying, this salad brings the flavour! To begin, preheat your air fryer to 300 ºF, chop broccoli in about 4 cups of florets and toss with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder. Add 1 tbsp of water to the bottom of the air fryer and transfer the seasoned broccoli to the basket of the air fryer. Air fry for 5-7 minutes, pulling the basket out once to shake to ensure an even cook. You’ll want the broccoli to be tender, with a little bit of bite and crispy golden-brown edges on some pieces. Meanwhile cook pearl cous cous in water, olive oil and salt until tender (according to package directions). Once drained, return to your saucepan, and toss with olive oil to coat. Then toast creamy, crunchy pine nuts until golden for that extra level of crunch and flavour. The dressing is a super-simple combination of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and grated garlic. The air fried broccoli and cous cous are then tossed with the dressing and the pine nuts, parsley and feta are gently added in to finish. Serve at room temperature and enjoy all of the amazing flavours and textures in this salad!

These are just a few of our favourite recipes to welcome in the Spring season with vibrant colours, lots of freshness and our forever favourite flavour-enhancer – feta cheese!

 

No-Hassle Winter Dinner Ideas

It’s finally February and we’re right in the thick of the winter season! In between snow and freezing temps, a hassle-free, warm, cozy dinner is a welcome refuge on a cold winter day. Whether you want to save on time, ingredients, or pans, we’ve put together a batch of our hassle-free dinners perfect for winter nights. Check out some of our favourites below!

 

First up, our Easy One-Pot Mediterranean Chicken. This is a no-hassle, one pot dinner that is fit to satisfy even the hungriest crowd. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are browned in an oven-proof pot or skillet. Mini potatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic are tucked around the golden-brown thighs and broth is poured over with a sprinkling of fragrant Greek oregano. Baked in one-pot for 25 minutes and then scattered with Greek feta and Kalamata olives, it only takes 10-15 minutes to finish this meal off in the oven. We recommend serving with crusty bread to pick up all of those delicious juices and feta cheese. This one-pot dinner saves you on clean up and delivers big on flavour!

 

Next our Fried Eggplant, Red Pepper and Feta Stacks, only 6 ingredients and you’ve got the perfect meal. Eggplant and peppers are stacked then dipped and fried crisp to create crisp and golden towers of deliciousness – lots of fun for the kids (and not to mention getting a healthy helping of veggies in!) One large eggplant is sliced ½ inch thick into rounds and seasoned. Next, they are skillet fried in batches with olive oil until nicely browned, but not mushy. Eggplant is removed and put onto a towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Next slices of crisp red pepper are added to half the eggplant slices and sprinkled with feta cheese and covered with the remaining eggplant rounds. The eggplant-pepper stacks are carefully dipped into beaten egg and coated with breadcrumbs. The stacks are gently fried in the hot oil, for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned and transferred to a towel-lined plate. Allow to cool to the touch, wrap in parchment for an extra fun element, and enjoy!

 

We couldn’t have a list of Winter dinners without including our Creamy Feta Gnocchi. A truly satisfying, warm, and delicious bite at the end of a cold day. This recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser and in the time it takes to get your gnocchi cooked, the sauce is ready! First off, bring water to a boil then cook your favourite gnocchi based on the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-heat the shallots and garlic are sautéed. Cream is added and simmered until bubbly, then the flavour enhancers come in – juicy sun-dried tomatoes and feta are stirred in until melted. The gnocchi is then ready to be tossed in this creamy, velvety sauce and a few handfuls of baby spinach are wilted in right at the end for another layer of flavour. This recipe is truly a hug in a bowl and comes together in no time!

 

When you’re feeling the winter chills, reach for one of these no-hassle dinners and you’re sure to be satisfied. They deliver on flavour and will warm you form the inside out!