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Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Platter with Labneh, Sweet and Savory Eggplant Salad, Feta and Hummus

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the labneh:

  • 1 container Greek Yogurt full or non-fat
  • 1/4 cup chopped dill

For the eggplant

  • 1 eggplant cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup small capers

For the chicken:

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, not pounded
  • 1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons garlic
  • 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup parsley leaves
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the garnish:

  • Kalamata olives
  • Roasted Garlic Hummus or any other hummus purchased or homemade
  • Greek or Bulgarian Feta cheese crumbled in large pieces
  • chopped dill
  • lemon wedges
  • Naan or Pita Bread brushed with olive oil and lightly grilled

Instructions

For the labneh:

  1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a mixing bowl large enough to fit the strainer. Spoon all of the yogurt into the strainer and refrigerate for 5-6 hours only. Then, pour off the liquid in the bowl and refrigerate the labneh in a tightly covered container for up to four days before serving. To serve the lebheh, spoon it into a bowl and give it a nice swirl on top with a spoon. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the swirl and serve, garnished with chopped dill.

For the eggplant:

  1. Preheat a grill to medium high heat.
  2. Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let sit for half an hour. Wipe the salt off the eggplant with a damp paper towel. Brush the olive oil on the eggplant and place cut side down on the grill. Grill for 10 minutes and turn the eggplant over. Turn the heat down to medium and grill for another 8-10 minutes until the eggplant is soft but not mushy when you press it down with a fork. Remove eggplant from the grill and set aside to cool in a bowl for at least 45 minutes. Drain off any liquid that accumulates in the bowl. Cut the eggplant into one inch pieces and place in a serving bowl.
  3. In a large glass measuring cup, microwave the red wine vinegar, salt and sugar for 1 minute. Whisk in the olive oil and chopped parsley. Stir the mixture into the eggplant and garnish with the capers and some additional chopped parsley.

For the chicken:

  1. Place the chicken in a ziplock bag. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup olive oil with the garlic, vinegar and honey. Pour mixture over the chicken, seal the bag and let marinate for two days, mixing from time to time.
  2. When ready to cook, preheat a gas grill to high heat.
  3. In a small food processor or blender combine the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil with The parsley, cilantro, smoked pep Rica and salt until it resembles pastor. Set aside while you cook the chicken.

  4. Place the marinated chicken breasts on a sheet of aluminum foil on the hot grill and turn heat down to medium. Grill the chicken for 8 minutes and turn it over, removing it from the aluminum foil and placing the chicken directly on the grill. Next, grill the chicken for five minutes and turn it over, again placing it directly on the grill. Evenly divide the oil and parsley mixture over each chicken breast and grill for another five minutes. Turn the grill off and without opening the top, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.

  5. To serve the Mediterranean platter, artfully arrange the sliced chicken on the platter and place the eggplant, labneh and hummus (I love the recipe for Roasted Garlic Hummus from The Mediterranean Dish around the chicken. Fill in the spaces with Kalamata olives and feta cheese, garnishing the platter with chopped dill and lemon wedges, if desired.