Greek Marinated Pork Tenderloin Bowls
Our kids love this recipe because you can get all the delicious Greek flavors in one bite! In fact, our daughter is about to leave for college, and it was one of her last home cooked dinner requests. I’ve made this dish with both ground chicken and sliced pork tenderloin, and they are both equally as delicious, just choose your preference! This is a dish with a few components, but so many of the ingredients are the same and repeat throughout. In Greek cooking, it’s traditional to use fresh herbs like oregano, dill and mint, lots of fresh lemon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
Grilling the pork gives it a nice char, while the Greek Salad is fresh and zesty and the tzatziki is cool and creamy, finish it with a bite of warm garlic naan and as I said, it’s the perfect bite! Don’t be intimidated by the various components, they are quick and easy, and this recipe is definitely doable for a weeknight dinner. Since so many of the ingredients are the same, once you chop and divide, it’s a speedy process. The best tip I have is to make extra because whether you make it with the pork tenderloin or ground chicken, the leftovers will make the best lunch the next day! I find that I wake up the next day, excited for lunch because I can’t wait to have it again!
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Course
Entree
Cuisine
Greek
Servings
4-6 people
Ingredients
Tzatziki Sauce – ingredients listed under Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers recipe
6 tomatoes of choice, sliced
1/3 red onion, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, sliced into rounds
10 kalamata olives
4 oz. feta, diced into small cubes
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped and divided (salad and marinade)
2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped and divided (salad and marinade)
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped and divided (salad and marinade)
1 Pork Tenderloin (approx. 1-1/2 lbs.)
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced and divided (marinade and couscous)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1-1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup pearl couscous
1 tsp. kosher salt
Naan, warmed and sliced into wedges
Instructions
Make Tzatziki Sauce, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Recipe under Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers.
Prepare the Greek Salad: Slice tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and kalamata olives, dice feta cheese and add all ingredients to a bowl, set aside until ready to serve. About 10 mins. before serving, toss with salt, pepper, EVOO, red wine vinegar and fresh chopped herbs; dill, mint and oregano.
Butterfly the pork tenderloin, lay it flat on a cutting board, cover with a layer of plastic wrap and pound it until it is has equal thickness, about ½” thick.
Prepare the marinade for the pork in a small bowl by combining extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, fresh chopped dill, mint and oregano. Place pork tenderloin in a large, flat dish. Mix the marinade and pour over the pork, turning with a fork a few times to coat on both sides. Leave it out to marinade for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to warm the naan per package directions before serving.
Preheat a grill over medium high heat.
Cook the pork medium high about 4-5 mins. per side, depending upon size.
Meanwhile start the couscous, using chicken stock instead of water and add a pinch of salt. Cook to package directions and squeeze half a lemon, stir to combine and reserve until ready to serve.
When pork is done, bring it in and let it rest on a cutting board, tenting with foil for 5-10 mins. Slice thinly, against the grain.
Serve the bowls with a scoop of couscous and surrounding it with Greek salad, tzatziki, pork slices and warm naan.
Notes
You can also make this dish with ground chicken instead of pork tenderloin. In a large skillet, add EVOO and cook the chicken. Make the same marinade as noted above and when the chicken is almost cooked through, add the marinade and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and serve in the bowls.