Chicken Gyro with Homemade Tzatziki

During the first week that we moved to California we visited this smallish Greek restaurant called George’s on 2nd Street, which is this quaint little Main Street type area, in a part of Long Beach called Belmont Shore. I HIGHLY recommend the restaurant – fresh, authentic ingredients, with cozy outdoor seating.

Last week we decided to give it a go, and try to recreate our meal at home (minus the seasoned French fries, although they were awesome). Here is what we came up with:

Serves 4

Note: Requires some ahead of time prep.

Gyro Ingredients

• 2 tsp oil (I use coconut)
• 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 tbsp dried marjoram
• 1/2 tbsp dried mint
• 1/2 tbsp dried ground rosemary (make sure it’s ground, not whole)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 medium pitas, whole wheat
• sweet onion, finely chopped
• tomato, finely chopped

Tzatziki Ingredients

• 8 oz 0% Fage greek yogurt
• 1/4 large English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely shredded using cheese grater
• 1 clove garlic, finely shredded using cheese grater
• juice from 1/2 small lemon
• 1 tsp dried mint
• salt and pepper to taste (roughly 1/4 tsp each)

Gyro Directions

Warm the oven to 325° F. Once the temperature reaches 325° F, turn it off, wrap pitas in aluminum foil and place them in the oven to warm.

Add spices to a small bowl and combine with a fork. The ground rosemary over whole rosemary is crucial, because this way the flavor is there, without being overpowering…. and having to chew on woody little sticks.

Place chicken on a cutting board and remove any visible fat using a knife. I also like to pound the chicken to an even thickness using a mallet (so that it cooks evenly). Coat chicken with spices, both sides, and pat the surface to get the spices to stick.

Heat a large skillet to medium-low and once its hot, place chicken breasts in the pan. You may need to use two skillets if your breasts are really large (hehe!). Flip the chicken after approximately 8-10 minutes and again cook for another 8-10 minutes on the other side, or until it is cooked through. It should have a nice sear on both sides, and the juices will run clear.

Remove chicken from the pan and let it sit on a cutting board for 2-3 minutes, so the juices can redistribute. Slice on an angle. Remove pitas from aluminum foil and place 3 ounces of chicken in each. Top with onion, tomato, and of course, tzatziki sauce (recipe below)! Enjoy.

Gyro Nutritional Info

4 serving = per serving (with a sprinkle of onion and tomato)

Calories: 234

Fat: 3.3 g

Carbs: 29 g

Protein: 25 g

Tzatziki Directions

Place the yogurt in a tea towel (paper towel works too), gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl (I used a small metal strainer), and drain for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.

Place the shredded cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid. Discard liquid.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dried mint, salt, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and allow flavors to meld in the refrigerator for again, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Remove from fridge and transfer to cute serving bowl, with a slice of cucumber to garnish. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Tzatziki Nutritional Info

4 servings = per 1/4 cup serving

Calories: 33

Fat: 0 g

Carbs: 3 g

Protein: 5 g