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Greek Nachos Put a Tasty Twist on a Familiar Kids' Snack

By Tom Liddy | March 12, 2013 7:05am

NEW YORK CITY — Nachos are an easy snack for your kids and their friends that tastes great.

But get away from the gooey cheese sauce with this twist on a snacking classic.

These Greek nachos combine homemade, whole-grain garlicky pita chips with Greek-style chicken that is grilled to perfection.

The "salsa" ditches jalapeños and lime juice in favor of grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, parsley, lemon juice and red onion, for a flavor reminiscent of Greek salad.

And instead of nacho cheese, this recipe uses feta and a tangy yogurt sauce that is brightened with lemon zest and juice.

These ingredients up the nutrition value in the dish while providing a flavor twist that will leave kids — and adults — craving more.

Snacking for your kids couldn't be easier or more delicious.

Here's how to do it:

INGREDIENTS

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 pint Kalamata olives, halved width-wise

1/2 medium red onion, finely diced

1 package whole wheat pita

1 tbs. feta cheese, crumbled

Olive oil

2 lemons - one zested, with the grated skin set aside

1 small container Greek yogurt (about 7 oz.)

1 small cucumber, peeled, quartered and chopped into 1/4 inch slices

2 tbs. fresh parsley, roughly chopped

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, open up the pitas by cutting them through the center, and then quarter, making 8 pieces. Three or four pitas should be plenty for four kids.

2. Place the pita pieces in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and add a teaspoon of the dried oregano and two of the minced garlic cloves. Toss to coat.

3. Place on a baking sheet or in a baking pan and toast for about 20 minutes, carefully tossing about halfway through. Remove from the oven when they're crisp and set aside.

4. Put the tomatoes in a bowl with the red onion and olives. Add the juice of half a lemon and half of the parsley. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, tossing occasionally so that the flavors come together.

5. Meanwhile, place the chicken cutlets in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, half the oregano, half the garlic and half the parsley.

6. Add the juice of a quarter lemon, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to develop flavor.

7. Preheat a cast iron grill on the stovetop on medium heat (or preheat a grill if you have one).

8. Grill the chicken about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Set aside and slice into 1/2-inch strips when slightly cooled.

9. Meanwhile make the yogurt sauce. Put the yogurt in a bowl and blend with a spoon until smooth. Add the lemon zest and juice of a half a lemon, season with salt and mix again.

9. Put a layer of chips in the bottom of a bowl or plate. Add some of the sliced chicken, the salsa, some cucumber, feta and the yogurt sauce.

10. Dig in.