chicken-eaters beware - easy & delicious recipe below

it’s no secret that I have, as of late, been exploring various non-vegetarian (& even non-kosher!) options at mealtime – pending that they’re of a high quality and hopefully are from a local source. this new diet started during our week of poultry & fish classes at school. on chicken day we took turns trussing, cutting, brining & cooking our chicken, experimenting with established, classic recipes as well as doing a bit of improvising. I walked away with a newfound interest in chicken. not only did I like sampling all the different dishes we made, I also truly enjoyed the hands-on experience of bringing the chicken from its raw state to its cooked state, and everything that entailed.

chicken, like most food these days, can be a tricky buy. the free-range & cage-free certifications have such low standards they often mean nothing at all. vegetarian fed doesn’t seem to make sense as chickens naturally eat bugs and other non-vegetarian animal protein. a healthier “diet” for chickens would be to let them eat whatever grass & grub the earth naturally offers them. one label which I’ve been told is quite reliable is free farmed – an American Humane Association label assuring the animals were raised in the most humane & natural environment possible. check out some info on free-farmed animals here from the American Humane Association. and of course, buying your poultry from local farmers or green markets is a great way of supporting your community and eating in a more sustainable fashion. if it’s a nearby farm you can always pay it a visit and see for yourself how the animals are treated.

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Mediterranean Chicken & Red Onions

this originally came out of our chicken day at school, although at this point I’ve tweaked it quite a bit. this recipe calls for whole breasts but it’s also delicious if you cut them into large cubes & skewer with red onions. *step 1 calls for a basic saltwater brine – this is not necessary if it’s a kosher chicken. check out another basic brine recipe here.


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ medium red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon fenugreek
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lime


1. Butterfly open the thickest parts of the chicken breasts by slicing in half lengthwise & opening up. Place in medium bowl with ¼ cup salt and water to cover. Allow to sit in fridge for at least a half hour in the brine, stirring occasionally.
2. Thinly slice red onion along the grain in half-moons, set aside.
3. Heat dried spices - cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, fenugreek & cayenne - on a low flame in a small sauté pan for about 1 minute or until aromatic. This will bring out their flavors but be careful, dried spices burn very quickly! Add spices to medium bowl along with garlic, parsley, salt & olive oil. Mix well.
4. When chicken is ready, drain, rinse & discard saltwater. Add chicken & red onion to marinade and let sit for 1-2 hours in fridge, stirring occasionally.
5. Preheat oven to broil.
6. Place chicken & red onion on a lightly oiled broiling pan and broil 7 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until cooked through.
7. Remove from oven and drizzle with lime juice immediately. Serve with red onions over a grain or green of your choice.