Mediterranean Chicken Bites

While I’ve been home bound, I’ve found myself spending a fair chunk of time exploring Mediterranean travel ideas… Which in turn, has also lead me to reminisce and dream of our last Greek adventure.

So, how could I not include a few happy snaps from our last adventure?!

It was this reminiscing and the vivid dreams of freshly made dolmades, with perfectly barbecued chicken and grilled kefalograviera that had me craving the fresh taste and irresistible flavours of the Mediterranean.

Enter my gluten free ‘Mediterranean Chicken Bites’. ☀️🥗
My winter answer to some summer cravings!
Super easy and full of flavour, who wouldn’t want to chow down on a few of these?!

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN BITES
Ingredients:
500g chicken breast
3 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups gluten free bread crumbs
1/2 tbsp – 1 tbsp Mediterranean herb mix (depending on how strong you want the flavour – I like to pack a punch with flavour, so always add more!)
1/2 tbsp – 1 tbsp Greek herb mix (depending on how strong you want the flavour – I like to pack a punch with flavour, so always add more!)
**alternatively, in place of the bread crumbs and seasonings, you can use 1 cup Aldi gluten free herb & garlic bread crumbs & 1 cup Aldi gluten free Mediterranean bread crumbs and omit the extra spices
1/4 – 1/2 cup grapeseed oil

Method:
1. Using a sharp knife, cube the chicken breasts into bite sized chunks, then place in a bowl.
2. Add the Greek yoghurt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to the cubed chicken pieces and mix together until all the chicken has been evenly coated in yoghurt and spices. Cover in cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
3. After an hour, remove the chicken from the fridge and set aside for a moment while you prepare the crumb mixture and set the oven temperature.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper.
5. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the Greek and Mediterranean seasonings and mix to evenly distribute all the flavours.
6. Take the pieces of the chicken and remove any excess yoghurt covering them (you still want a light covering of yoghurt to adhere the crumb to), then roll the pieces of chicken in the herby breadcrumb mixture, coating generously.
7. Place each crumbed piece of chicken on the lined tray and place in the preheated oven, baking anywhere from 15 – 25 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken pieces). *Please note, if you want a slightly healthier version of this recipe, cook in the oven until golden & cooked through, then simply serve at this point, don’t continue with the next step.
If you are like me and love a little extra crunch and indulgence, continue with this next step.
8. Once your chicken is just cooked through in the oven (mine took about 20 minutes at 200 degrees celsius), place between 1/4 – 1/2 cup grapeseed oil in a heavy based fry pan and bring up to a medium high heat. Tumble the gorgeous golden nuggets into the hot oil and fry each side until deliciously crispy and golden. Remove with tongs and place the pieces of chicken on a few pieces of paper towel to remove any excess oil. Serve immediately…. as if you were going to wait anyway!