With a few simple steps, you can make the most flavorful and delicious gyros and a homemade tzatziki sauce blanketed over the top loaded with garlic, dill, and cucumber that will have you wondering why you don’t make these every single week of the year.  Pile a homemade or store-bought piece of naan or gyro bread with my Lemony Basil Chicken, the tzatziki sauce, and feta crumbles and you are guaranteed to be in food heaven!

I mean, it’s not like I can get a gyro in the wilds of the Upper Peninsula.  In fact, I would have to drive hundreds of miles from here to find me a gyro.  So, as usual in this house, we make the food we want to eat!  And we WANT to eat this!!!  Easily a family favorite, this recipe feels like drool-worthy decadence.

A couple things need to be made ahead to maximize the flavor.  So, plan ahead a few hours and begin making the chicken and the tzatziki.  I am using the recipe for Lemony Basil Chicken Breasts.  I make it just as the recipe says except that I make them into tenders for the most possible flavor distribution and to make it easier to pile the chicken onto the bread later.  So, cut 1 pound of  breasts into strips and put them in a bag to marinate along with the following:

The juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp. dried or fresh basil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. yellow mustard

Dash of red pepper flakes (optional)

Let this marinate in the fridge for about 3 but no more than 5 hours.  The lemon juice will start to affect the chicken after too long.

Next, chop 1/2 c. cucumber and put it in a colander over a bowl with a sprinkle of salt to allow the water to drain out and prevent a watery sauce.  This should take about 15 minutes for the water to drain well.

Now, make the tzatziki by mixing the following ingredients in a bowl:

1 c. Greek yogurt

1/2 c. finely chopped and drained cucumbers

2 large garlic cloves, finely diced (1 T. or so)

1 T. fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill weed

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

2 T. olive oil

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Let this sit in the fridge until ready to serve.

When it’s time to make the gyros, grill or cook the chicken tenders in a cast iron skillet until to temp (160-165 degrees) and then let them rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

Heat the naan or gyro bread for a couple minutes on both sides in a dry, hot skillet to get a little char on the outside and heat through.

Now, assemble and serve!  Bread, meat, tzatziki sauce, lots of feta, extra cucumbers, fresh tomato, fresh dill, red onion…YUMMMM!!!

Easy Chicken Gyros and Tzatziki Sauce

 

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Prep time

4 hours

Total time

4 hours

 

Marinated chicken piled on naan bread and blanketed with homemade tzatziki sauce loaded with garlic, dill, and cucumbers and then covered in rich feta.

Alison: That Which Nourishes

Serves: 4 gyros

Grocery List

• Lemony Basil Chicken:
• 1 lb. chicken breasts
• The juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
• ¼ c. olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh basil
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp. yellow mustard
• Dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
• Tzatziki Sauce:
• 1 c. Greek yogurt
• ½ c. finely chopped and drained cucumbers
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely diced (1 T. or so)
• T. fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill weed
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• Additional items:
• Naan or Gyro bread
• Feta cheese
• Optional items:
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Fresh dill
• Red onions

Here's how...

1. Marinate the chicken in a bag with the marinade ingredients for 3-5 hours.
2. Chop the cucumbers and drain in a colander over a bowl, sprinkled with salt for 15 minutes to remove excess water.
3. Mix Tzatziki ingredients well in a bowl and let chill.
4. Grill or saute the chicken until cooked until 160-165 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Heat the bread to char and heat through in a dry skillet.
6. Assemble the gyros with bread, chicken, tzatziki sauce, and feta. Add any additional loveliness such as fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, dill, and onions.

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