The Best Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzaziki

The marinade for the chicken for this Greek Chicken Gyros is SO GOOD that I use it even when I’m not making Greek Chicken Gyros. Make this once, and I think you’ll be as obsessed with it as I am! The marinade is made with yoghurt, lemon, garlic and oregano – classic Greek ingredients that infuses the chicken with flavour AND tenderises it.

You’ll Need:

• 2 lb / 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets

MARINADE

• 3 large garlic cloves , minced (~ 3 tsp)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar)
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper

TZATZIKI

• 2 cucumbers (to make about 1/2 - 3/4 cup grated cucumber after squeezing out juice)
• 1 1/4 cups plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or more if you want richer)
• 1/2 garlic clove , minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper

SALAD

• 3 tomatoes , desseeded and diced
• 3 cucumbers , diced
• 1/2 red spanish onion , peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper

TO SERVE

• 4 to 6 pita breads or flat breads

Instructions:

1. Place the Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and massage to mix. Add the chicken into the ziplock bag and massage to cover all the chicken in the Marinade. Marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 hours, ideally 12 hours and no longer than 24 hours.

MAKE THE TZATZIKI

1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape the watery seeds out. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater. Then wrap in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
2. Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavours to meld.

SALAD

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl.

COOK CHICKEN

1. Brush the outdoor grill with oil, then preheat on medium high. Or heat 1 tbsp of oil in a fry pan over medium high heat.
2. Remove chicken from Marinade. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through (cooking time depends on size of chicken).
3. Remove the chicken from the grill / fry pan onto a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

ASSEMBLE GYROS

1. If your chicken thighs are large, you may need to cut them. Mine were small.
2. Get a pita bread or flatbread (preferably warmed) and place it on a piece of parchment (baking) paper (or you could use foil). Place some Salad down the middle of the bread, then top with chicken and Tzatziki.
3. Roll the wrap up, enclosing it with the parchment paper. Twist the end with the excess parchment paper to secure it.
4. I prefer to lay everything out on a table and let everyone help themselves.

NOTES:
1. This recipe makes a generous amount of Tzatziki. But better to have too much than not enough!
2. This recipe serves 4 to 6 people. Depending on how robust appetites are!
3. I don't recommend freezing the chicken in the marinade for this particular recipe because the yoghurt separates and goes grainy, and I don't know what that will do to the chicken. While the tenderising / flavour infusion should still work, I think it might not look that nice when cooked.