As a big fan of Greek culture and cuisine and also being from New York, I had to figure out how to make the prototypical New York gyro. The real trick here is the tzatziki sauce that bursts with cucumber and Greek yogurt and complements the flavors of the marinade.
GRILLED CHICKEN GYRO
WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE
Makes: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 pita
Prep time: 24 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2lb (1kg) chicken breasts, cut into pieces
4 pita pockets
4 romaine leaves, chopped
for the marinade
1⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
11⁄2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
for the sauce
11⁄2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp salt, plus extra
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 cucumber, grated and squeezed to drain
freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1 In a bowl, make the marinade by combining all the marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag and add the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but preferably for 24 hours.
2 In a separate bowl, make the tzatziki sauce by combining the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, dill, and garlic. Stir in the cucumber and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3 Heat the grill to medium. Thread the chicken onto kebab skewers and grill until fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.
4 Remove the chicken from the grill and from the skewers and place equal amounts in each pita pocket. Top each with an equal amounts of tzatziki sauce and romaine. Serve immediately.
PREP TIP
Warm the pita pockets in a frying pan on the stovetop or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to make them more pliable.
NUTRITION FACTS
per serving
450
12g
44g
42g