Homemade Greek Chicken Gyros (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the chicken marinade

01 - 1 pound chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil (the good stuff if you have it)
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Greek oregano if you can find it!)
06 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
07 - A good pinch of salt and several cracks of black pepper

→ For the homemade tzatziki

08 - 1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat tastes best here)
09 - ½ cucumber, grated and then squeezed to remove excess water
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced (or use a microplane to make it super fine)
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or mint if you prefer)
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For assembling the gyros

15 - 4 soft pita breads (slightly warmed)
16 - ½ cup tomatoes, diced (cherry tomatoes work great when they're in season)
17 - ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
18 - ½ cup cucumber, chopped into small pieces
19 - ¼ cup crumbly feta cheese
20 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

# Instructions:

01 - In a bowl big enough to fit all your chicken, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Give it a taste - it should be pretty zippy! Toss in your sliced chicken and use your hands (they're your best kitchen tool) to massage that marinade into every piece. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer everything to a ziplock bag, and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you've got the time, let it hang out overnight - the flavor just gets better and better.
02 - While the chicken is soaking up all those flavors, let's make the tzatziki sauce. After you've grated your cucumber, don't skip the draining step! Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels and give it a good squeeze to get all that water out (otherwise you'll end up with runny tzatziki). Mix the squeezed cucumber with your Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped dill. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then give it a taste and adjust if needed. Pop it in the fridge to let all those flavors make friends while you cook the chicken.
03 - Heat up a skillet or grill pan until it's nice and hot (a few drops of water should sizzle and dance when they hit the surface). Fish out your marinated chicken pieces and let any excess marinade drip off before placing them in the hot pan - that sizzle sound is what we're after! Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side without moving them around (that's how you get those nice brown bits). Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes on the other side until they're golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
04 - While your chicken is resting, let's warm up the pita breads. You can do this a few ways: wrap the stack in foil and pop in a 350°F oven for a few minutes, warm them one by one in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side, or if you're feeling adventurous, hold them with tongs directly over a gas flame for a few seconds per side. Warm pitas are so much more pliable and delicious than cold ones!
05 - Now for the fun part - assembly! Lay each warm pita flat on a plate or piece of foil (if you're wrapping them up to-go). Spoon some of your beautifully cooked chicken down the center. Top with a generous helping of those fresh veggies - the diced tomatoes, sliced red onions, and chopped cucumber. Sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese and a pinch of that bright green parsley.
06 - Grab your tzatziki from the fridge and dollop a generous spoonful right on top of your loaded pita. If you like things extra saucy (I know I do!), feel free to really go for it. Now comes the slightly tricky part - folding it all together. Fold the bottom up first, then fold the sides in, creating a neat little envelope. If you want to be extra fancy, wrap the bottom half in some parchment paper or foil to help hold everything together and catch any delicious drips!

# Notes:

01 - This recipe is super flexible - you can substitute chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat, or even use lamb for a more traditional gyro.
02 - The tzatziki sauce tastes even better the next day, so consider making it ahead of time if you're planning ahead.
03 - For a lighter option, serve all the fillings over a bed of greens instead of in pita bread for a delicious Greek chicken salad.
04 - If you like your gyros with a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the chicken marinade or serve with hot sauce on the side.

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