Greek Grilled Chicken and Village Salad

I recently received a tiny gas hibachi grill. The only thing I'd ever grilled was a steak (delicious). Grilling chicken took a bit of research because, from what I've been told, it can get a bit dry cooking on the grill. I found a recipe that called for marinating the chicken in brine overnight. Well, I am a believer. This chicken turned out more flavorful than any I think I've ever cooked. The perfect accompaniments for the grilled chicken are a cucumber-based Greek salad, grilled potatoes, and, of course, tzatziki.

Brine
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 large bay leaf
Dash cayenne pepper
1 or 2 sprigs fresh oregano
salt and pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Night before: Combine brine ingredients in a gallon-sized Ziploc. Add chicken. Let marinate in refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

Day of: Heat grill. Grill chicken 8 minutes on each side over a medium flame. Cover with foil while cooking. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and a thermometer stuck in the chicken registers 170°F.

This recipe was originally for chicken souvlaki (basically, chicken kebabs). Indeed, I had a very successful Mediterranean-themed barbecue a couple of weeks ago. To make souvlaki, cut the chicken in 1-inch, bite-sized pieces. Marinate as directed. Soak 25 (or so) bamboo skewers in water. Cut ½ green bell pepper, ½ red onion, and 1 beefsteak tomato into 1-inch pieces. Parboil 2 lbs. baby red potatoes for 5 minutes. Thread veggies and chicken onto the skewer in an orderly fashion, leaving 1 inch of bamboo exposed at either end. Heat grill. Grill 5 minutes on each side over a medium flame. Cover with foil while cooking.

To have your own Mediterranean barbecue, serve the souvlaki skewers with pita breads, tzatziki, and village salad.

Village Salad

Ingredients
2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered and cut ¼" thick
½ red onion, thinly sliced
½ lemon's juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 roma tomato, cut in chunky, bite-sized pieces
½ any color bell pepper, cut into small ¼" strips
Splash white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Let the flavors combine for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.