Grilled Chicken Gyros
"The best ones you've made yet," my husband said. I have made these multiple times since I started my food blog, but I find the dish so hard to photograph attractively, that I give up. I'll give this photo an "A" for effort, but maybe a "C" for actual performance. Hehe. Now were still talking about the photo mind you, the food itself is delicious. And also, it is pretty healthy. These pitas (if you can find them) are only 50 calories each and filled with fiber and flax.( It's called Joseph's Heart Friendly Pita Bread.) The tzatziki sauce is made with non-fat Fage Greek yogurt and loaded with cucumbers. (You will find that my cucumber to Greek yogurt ratio is a little heavier than store bought tzatzkiki sauces.) And I will say I had a small heart attack when I realized I was out of feta, and event that almost never happens in my home. But all in all this was yummy and healthy. Makes 8-10 Pitas
Ingredients/Instructions:
Tzatziki Sauce: 7 oz Fage Greek yogurt 1 1/2 cucumbers 3 tbsp dill 1 lemon 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1. Halve your cucumbers length wise and use a spoon to remove the seeds in the center. Grade on a cheese grader and squeeze out the extra juice with your hands. Allow the grated cucumbers to rest on paper towels to absorb the rest of the excess water. (I saved the other 1/2 of the cucumber and diced it for a topping when the pitas were assembled.) 2. In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the juiced lemon, dill and spices. 3. Add the cucumber, stir and refrigerate until use.
For the Grilled Chicken: 2-3 chicken breasts brine* 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 1/2 tsp curry powder 2 tsp oregano 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cayenne 1. *If you're going to brine your chicken, you will need 3-4 cups of water, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup sea salt. Stir this mixture together and add your chicken to the bowl; refrigerating for 3-7 hours before cooking. This keeps your chicken moist, tender and adds flavor. I highly recommend it. 2. About 30 minutes before cooking your chicken, pat it dry and halve it down the middle. (Like you are going to butterfly it, but cut it all the way through.) 3. Mix the spices together in a bowl and sprinkle it evenly on both sides of the chicken. 4. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. 5. After the chicken has sat for a few minutes, slice it thinly as possible and get ready to assemble...
Everything Else: 8-10 pitas (I used Joseph's Hearty Friendly Whole Wheat Pita Bread) 3/4-1 cup kalamata olives 3/4-1 cup diced pepperoncinis 1/2 cucumber, diced 3/4- 1 cup feta 1 head romaine, shredded 2-3 roma tomatoes, diced 1. Heat the pita up (if you want) and add the chicken. Lightly add lettuce, kalamata olives, diced tomatoes, pepperoncinis, diced cucumber and feta. Top with tzatziki and eat! Enjoy!
