Grecian Chicken Gyros Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients and stir well.
• On a cutting board, place a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken thighs and pound until about ½ inch (1 cm) thick with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy pan.
• In another large bowl or gallon plastic bag, combine chicken thighs and marinade, stirring well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to one day.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Shred the cucumber, be sure to squeeze out any excess liquid.
• In a medium bowl, combine tzatziki ingredients and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• On a baking sheet or a large cast-iron skillet, use the onion half as a base and position the skewer vertically like a spit. Skewer the chicken thighs individually, rotating each one 90 degrees.
• Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Carve off slices of chicken to fill a pita. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, and tzatziki sauce.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• First, whisk all the marinade ingredients together with 1 tsp salt in a large bowl or, better still, a large plastic container that has a lid. Open out each chicken thigh, cover with a piece of baking parchment and flatten it with your hand, then lift off the paper and cut the thigh in half. Tip into the marinade and mix so it's completely coated. Cover, chill and marinate for at least 1 hr or up to 24 hrs - the longer, the better.
• Thread all the chicken onto two skewers so that both skewers go through each piece of meat, packing down tightly as you go to make a compact kebab (see tip, below).
• Light a lidded barbecue, and let the flames die down. Once the coals have turned ashen, pile them up on one side with a single layer of coals scattered around the other side. Lay the chicken kebab on the side of the barbecue with only a few coals underneath. Put the lid down and cook for 45 mins, turning every 15 mins. To finish, lift the lid and roll the kebab over to the hotter side to char the meat, turning it every few minutes until well browned and cooked through. Prise the chicken pieces apart in the centre to check they're cooked, or use a digital cooking thermometer - it should read 70C or more. Leave to rest for 5-10 mins while you cook the pittas (see recipe, opposite). Bring the kebab to the table and carve into thin slices with a serrated knife. Pile the carved meat into the warm pittas, then the sliced red onions and tomatoes, chips and tzatziki (see our recipes, below).

Steps:

• Place Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill weed, 2 cloves garlic, white vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth; set aside.
• Whisk together 4 cloves minced garlic, juice of 1 lemon, red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and oregano in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Stir in chicken strips and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Place chicken on a large baking sheet.
• Broil the chicken in the preheated oven until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; place each pita bread into the skillet until warm and soft, about 2 minutes per pita.
• Serve warmed pita bread topped with chicken strips, yogurt sauce, tomatoes, onion, and lettuce.