Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki

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I stole this recipe for Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki from recipetineats.com. September 1st is National Gyro Day (to see more Food Holidays click National Food Holidays) and these Greek chicken gyros are a great way to celebrate! A Greek marinade flavors sliced chicken. Homemade tzatziki sauce is made with shredded zucchini, Greek yogurt, garlic and spices. Diced tomatoes, onions and cucumbers make a fresh salad topping. You can make homemade pita bread or use store bought pitas. Great flavors combine for this dish and most of it can be made ahead of time, ready to assemble when you are ready to eat Greek!

Did you know? Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made with drained plain yogurt, grated or chopped cucumber, minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar and minced fresh dill or mint.¹ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)

Place 3 large minced garlic cloves, 3 tsp white wine vinegar, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 ½ tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper in a bowl.

Whisk marinade ingredients together. In a large resealable plastic bag add 2 lbs sliced chicken breasts. Pour marinade in bag, mix to cover chicken. Refrigerate 3 hours, ideally 12 hours, no more than 24 hours.

Start tzatziki sauce by cutting 2 cucumbers in half lengthwise, scrap out the seeds.

Grate cucumber. Wrap grated pieces in paper towels and squeeze to remove liquid.

In a small bowl add 1 ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ minced garlic clove, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.

Mix to combine, add in squeezed cucumber

Cover the tzatziki sauce and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Assemble the salad next by combining 3 de-seeded and diced tomatoes, 3 diced cucumbers, ½ of a peeled and finely chopped red onion, ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves and salt and pepper.

Refrigerate salad until you are ready to assemble the gyros.

In a skillet cook chicken 2-3 minutes each side.

Turn chicken once while cooking and cook until golden. Remove from skillet, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes.

Brush grill with oil, then preheat on medium high heat or 1 tsp oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Warm pita bread. Spread tzatziki sauce on top of pita.

Add some chicken pieces on top.

Spoon some of the salad on top and enjoy!

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Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki

September 1st is National Gyro Day and these Greek chicken gyros are a great way to celebrate! A Greek marinade flavors sliced chicken. Homemade tzatziki sauce is made with shredded zucchini, Greek yogurt, garlic and spices. Diced tomatoes, onions and cucumbers make a fresh salad topping. Most of this dish can be made ahead of time, ready to assemble when you are ready to eat Greek!

Course Chicken, Entree
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 24 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Recipe Thief

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken skinless breasts
  • 4-6 pitas breads or flatbreads

Marinade

  • 3 large garlic cloves ~ 3 tsp minced
  • 3 tsp white wine vinegar or red wine or apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 1 ½ tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Tzatziki

  • 2 cucumbers to make ½ - ¾ cup grated cucumber after squeezing out juice
  • 1 ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ garlic clove minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Salad

  • 3 tomatoes deseeded and diced
  • 3 cucumbers diced
  • ½ red onion peeled and finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Marinade

  1. Place ingredients in a Ziploc bag and massage to mix. Add chicken and massage to cover. Refrigerate 3 hours, ideally 12 hours, no more than 24 hours.

Tzatziki

  1. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise, scrap out seeds. Grate cucumber. Wrap grated pieces in paper towels and squeeze to remove liquid.
  2. Place in bowl, add remaining ingredients then mix to combine, set aside for 20 minutes.

Salad

  1. Combine salad ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Assembly

  1. Cook chicken 2-3 minutes each side until golden. Remove to plate, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes.
  2. Brush grill with oil, then preheat on medium high heat or 1 tsp oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Warm pita bread.

  3. Place salad, chicken and tzatziki sauce on top, roll or leave flat. Or if pita bread is puffy, you can cut in half and stuff the pockets.