We’ve just enjoyed the first long weekend of our warm weather season here in Ontario and the switch to meals on the BBQ has been turned on! More time enjoying our all-too-short sunny season and less around the oven is how we roll this time of year. One of our favourite meals to make on the ‘cue is a Grilled Mediterranean Platter with all our family feast faves – meat, veggies, cheese and served up with a side of pita and dips. A crowd-pleaser to feed a group with varying tastes and dietary preferences – meat lovers, vegetarians, etc. – add this grilling recipe to your ‘Bests of BBQ Season’ roster, Dad’s Day Menu or Easy Cottage Eats list!
All the fixin’s for the ultimate grill-marked Mediterranean feast – Chicken Kebabs, Halloumi cheese and a medley of colourful veg on a bed of lemony-dressed Arugula served up with sides of pita & dips!
Ingredients for a Grilled Mediterranean Platter
*Suggested ingredients were for a crowd of 6-8 people. Add/reduce ingredients according to the size of your party*
Chicken Kebabs – for this version, we used pre-made and marinated chicken-veg kebabs purchased fresh from our local butcher to keep it simple. If you prefer to make your own, try this simple Greek Kebab recipe. This platter tastes amazing with skewered lamb or beef as well.
Bell Peppers – we used a trio of red, yellow & orange bell peppers, but use whatever you have on-hand or prefer.
Red Onion – one medium-large sized red onion sliced into “rings” (just under 1/2 inch wide – not too thin to avoid burning on the grill).
Zucchini – (2) medium-sized zucchini sliced length-wise, about 1/4 inch depth.
Halloumi – a fantastic Mediterranean cheese to pair with grilling recipes that tastes even better when heated up. We used a Garlic & Herb version for this recipe, but plain works well also. Cut 200-250g of Halloumi (1 pkg) into 1/4-1/2 inch slices.
Seasoned Olive Oil – add your favourite herbs/seasonings to some extra virgin olive oil to brush over top of your vegetables to level-up the flavour. We mixed garlic powder and an Italiano blend with about 3 tbsp of olive oil. Get creative and used whatever your family’s favourite seasonings are – no rules here!
Lemons – we used (3) – two for the grill (slice width-wise in half), one for the lemon vinaigrette.
Arugula – enough to cover the base of your platter (we used about 3 handfuls of fresh arugula on a large-sized platter).
Dips – your family’s favourite Mediterranean-inspired dips. We served our Grilled Mediterranean platter with Tzatziki and Hummus. My favourite way to simplify summer meal-making is to keep lots of dips stocked for easy-to-prep Crudités and grilled meat-veg platters.
Pita – (1) Package of large pita rounds cut into triangles, or (1) package of mini pita.
Lemon Vinaigrette – to drizzle over and toss with the arugula before you add to the platter’s base & one of my very favourite dressings of all made with the simple ingredients combo of extra virgin olive oil (about 1/2 cup), red wine vinegar (about 1/4 cup), the juice of (1) lemon, and a few pinches each of coarse salt and ground black pepper (about 1 tsp each). That’s it! These measurements will render more dressing then needed to toss with the arugula base, but we love making a little extra vinaigrette anyway to set aside for later. You could also use this Lemon Vinaigrette as a marinade for your meat!
Outside is the best side – plunk this family-style platter down to enjoy al fresco with the fam! We love diving into this one at the cottage.
How to Make a Grilled Family Feast
Grilled Mediterranean Platter with Chicken Kebabs & Halloumi | La Cucina di Kerrs
Ingredients
Mediterranean Platter
- Pre-made Chicken Kebabs *as many as you need - we used six*
- 1 each Red, Yellow & Orange Bell Peppers *rinse, gut & cut into chunky pieces*
- 1 medium Red Onion *cut into 1/2 inch slices*
- 2 sm-med Zucchini *rinse, remove ends & cut length-wise*
- 1 pkg Halloumi *200-250 grams, cut into 1/4- 1/2 inch slices*
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil *add/reduce amount according to party size*
- Garlic Powder & Italiano seasoning *to taste - mixed with olive oil to brush onto vegetables for grilling*
- 1 pkg Arugula *as much as you need to cover the base of your serving platter - we used about 3 handfuls on a large serving tray*
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Coarse salt & ground black pepper *to taste - we used about 1 tsp each*
*Optional Sides for the Ultimate Mediterranean Feast*
- 1 pkg Pita *large rounds cut into triangles, or small bite-sized*
- 1 tub each Tzatziki & Hummus *or your family's other favourite Mediterranean-inspired dips*
Instructions
- Preheat the BBQ to MED-HIGH heat (*about 400°F*).
- In a small mixing bowl, add olive oil, garlic powder and Italiano blend (*or other preferred dried herbs*), mix well.
- Baste your sliced veggies by brushing a small amount of the seasoned oil over top, or tossing them in the bowl to coat them evenly. If your Halloumi isn't already seasoned, you could also brush some of the seasoned oil on the sliced cheese as well.
- Add the sliced zucchini, peppers, onions and chicken kebabs to the heated BBQ. Grill, turning often until the zucchini, peppers and onions are slightly charred and tender to your liking and the chicken kebabs are cooked through with no signs of pink - about 10 - 12 min. Transfer to the top grill rack (or plate and cover with aluminum) to keep warm.
- Add the halloumi slices to the grill along with the lemon halves, cut side down. Grill the halloumi for 2-3min per side until slightly browned and charred. BBQ the lemon halves until grill marks appear.
- Toss the arugula with the lemon vinaigrette dressing then lay out on your serving platter evenly until covered.
- Assemble your grilled Mediterranean platter by adding your chicken kebabs, grilled vegetables and halloumi in sections. Place the grilled lemons as you wish, tucked in between the Kebabs and veg. Serve with cut up pita triangles or mini rounds, your favourite dips (like Tzatziki and Hummus) & a side salad for the ultimate Mediterranean feast! Enjoy!
More Easy Grilling Recipes
Grilled Chicken Parm Sandwiches
BBQ Greek Turkey Kebabs with Homemade Greek Marinade
We’re always looking for a new recipe to try on the grill, so share your family’s favourite with us! We hope you enjoy this Grilled Mediterranean Platter with Chicken Kebabs & Halloumi this season! Happy grilling!
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Keep well, eat well,
What an impressive platter filled with so many yummy things! Can’t wait to make it for Father’s Day!
I love this!!! The roasted veggies are the stars on the platter! Nothing like roasted BBQ veggies for summer, and the turkey looks delicious and juicy! Colourful and yummy summer dish!
i love a good Mediterranean Platter. It has so much flavour going on and lots of tasty veggies and protein!