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Back to Basics: It’s Greek for me
Try these easy-to-make Chicken gyros with tzatziki salad and Turkish bread
Gyros are popular worldwide for their tender and delicious flavor, derived from a fragrant blend of spices and their preparation on a vertical grill. The fully cooked outer layer is sliced off during cooking, allowing the rest of the meat to continue roasting. This process is repeated until all the meat is cooked, making gyros meat special and unique.
Gyros are commonly served as a sandwich, most often in pita bread, but other bread types can be used as well. While believed to have originated in Greece, Turks and Arabs also consider gyros their own. The basic concept of gyros preparation is similar across countries, but differences lie in the spices and other details. Traditional Greek gyros is usually made with chicken or pork, while other countries also enjoy beef or lamb variations.
I'll share my take on gyros, inspired by the traditional Greek recipe. This version can be prepared without a special vertical grill — you can use your oven or even a regular grill together with my little trick revealed later in the article. We'll also make a tzatziki salad to serve either inside the sandwich or as a side. For an extra special touch, you can serve your gyros in a Turkish-style sandwich bread, though store-bought pita bread is always a great option too.
Making delicious chicken gyros is easier than you think. Simply prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. You'll need plain white yogurt (Greek yogurt is ideal, but regular white yogurt works too), extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper (optional, for a spicy kick, or substitute with 1/2 teaspoon more paprika), cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly, and your marinade is complete.
Not only does this marinade add a burst of flavor to your gyros, but it also tenderizes the meat during the marination process. So, your gyros will taste delicious and boast a super tender, pleasant texture, making the whole experience even more enjoyable.
This gyros recipe works great with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or even boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Rinse the meat thoroughly first. Then, proceed by cutting each chicken piece diagonally in half. Pound each piece covered with plastic wrap with a meat mallet to a final thickness of 1/2 inch. This step helps you to have chicken that can easily be layered when you prepare for grilling. Finally, add the chicken to the marinade and gently coat with a spatula. Cover the container with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken for at least 60 minutes, but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
The next step is to preheat your oven or grill to 400 degrees. And now, the surprisingly simple secret to mimicking a vertical grill with tools you likely have at home. All you need is one onion, three skewers (about 6 to 8 inches long with sharp points on both ends), and a baking sheet. Cut the onion in half, ensuring one half includes the root end and the other has the stem end. Trim off the stem and root and peel the onion. Place half the onion on the baking sheet (flat side down), then insert the three skewers about 1 inch apart. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place the first piece on the skewers, sliding it down to the onion (don't wipe off any marinade). Continue layering the remaining chicken pieces one by one. When finished, carefully push the second half of the onion onto the skewers until it touches the chicken. This is the whole trick — your chicken gyros meat is ready to be roasted.
Place the baking sheet with the chicken in the center of your oven or grill. Cook for about 70 to 90 minutes until fully cooked — always check with a food thermometer to ensure the internal temperature has reached the minimum recommended safe serving temperature for poultry, which is 165 degrees. Our family often prepares a double batch, which usually takes a little longer to cook. Optionally, you can slice off the cooked outer layer during cooking to have part of the meat ready sooner and speed up the overall preparation time. If using a grill, make sure the meat roasts over indirect heat with the lid closed. Place the baking sheet away from the direct flames, ideally on the opposite side of the grill.
While your gyros roasts, prepare the tzatziki salad. Start by peeling and shredding cucumbers. You can use the large holes on a box grater or your food processor. Place the shredded cucumber in a strainer and press out excess liquid using your hand or a spatula. Let the cucumber drain for a few minutes for the best results, pressing occasionally. We want to remove most of the natural cucumber water, but a little can remain. Once drained, transfer the cucumber to a large mixing bowl and add plain white yogurt, mayonnaise (optional), fresh mint, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, ground black pepper, and salt. Stir thoroughly until everything is well combined. For the best flavor, let the tzatziki chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
When the gyros is fully cooked, cut it into medium pieces using a chef's knife. Gyros is best served as a sandwich in pita bread or Turkish-style sandwich bread (recipe included) with tzatziki salad, slices of raw onion, tomatoes, and lettuce. If you decide to serve the tzatziki salad on the side, consider spreading the inside of the bread with basic mayonnaise, garlic, or a Mediterranean aioli.
Tom Slepicka is the founder of www.cookinghub.com, and is a recipe creator, culinary instructor, chef, and a consultant. You can reach him at tom@cookinghub.com.
Good to know
· The word “gyros” comes from Greek and means “to turn,” referring to the traditional method of roasting meat on a vertical grill.
· Although the modern gyro likely originated in Greece during the 20th century, the practice of roasting meat on a vertical spit has ancient roots. Gyros versions from other countries, such as the Turkish doner kebab and the Arab shawarma, also have historical ties to this preparation method.
· Tzatziki probably originated from the Indian yogurt-based condiment known as raita. With the expansion of the Ottoman Empire into the Middle East, raita likely made its way there, where its cooling qualities would have been valued in warm climates. Over time, Greeks likely modified and refined the recipe into the beloved tzatziki we enjoy today.
Recipes
Chicken Gyros
4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup of plain white yogurt (preferably whole Greek yogurt but regular whole yogurt can be used too)
2 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Juice from 1 large lemon
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (spicy, optionally substitute for 1/2 teaspoon paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (or skinless and boneless chicken tights)
1 large onion
The rest of the sandwich:
1 Turkish bread, cut to quarters
1 cup of Mediterranean aioli or mayonnaise
Sliced onion
8 slices of tomato
Lettuce
Make the marinade: Place into a medium mixing bowl: 1 cup of plain white yogurt; 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil; juice from 1 large lemon; 4 cloves of garlic, grated; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Stir together with a whisk until fully incorporated (about 1 to 2 minutes).
For the meat preparation: Make sure that the chicken breasts are properly rinsed under cold water and the unwanted parts are removed. Cut each chicken breast diagonally into half. Pound each piece of chicken breasts over plastic film to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet.
Place chicken breasts into the marinade and stir with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinade for at least 60 minutes (or preferably overnight in the refrigerator).
Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees.
Cut large onion into half, peel it and place 1 half on the center of the baking sheet. Then push into the onion 3 skewers with a distance of about 1 inch from each other.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place the first piece on the skewers and slide down to top of the onion. Then take all the rest of the chicken and place each piece one-by-one on the skewers, layering them on top of each other. Push the second half of the onion through the skewers until it touches the chicken.
To roast: Place the baking sheet with the chicken in the center in a preheated oven or on a grill for about 70 to 90 minutes until done. *
Tip: Optionally, you can slice the cooked layer to have part of the meat ready sooner and to speed up preparation — gyros will be prepared faster this way.
Tip for grill preparation:
If prepared on a grill, ensure the roasting happens on indirect heat and with a closed lid — with the fire not directly under the baking sheet but on the sides.
When fully cooked, slice vertically into little pieces. It is best to serve in Turkish bread or pita bread with tzatziki, sliced onion, a slice of tomato, and lettuce.
* Check with a food thermometer to make sure that you reached the minimum recommended safe serving temperature for poultry of 165 degrees.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Turkish Style Sandwich Bread
8 servings (2 loaves)
Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeasts
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups of lukewarm water — about 90 to 100 degrees (preheat in kettle or microwave)
3 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
For the brushing mixture and topping:
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Note: A common problem is that the dough always seems sticky, especially during the final kneading process. This is why some bakers often panic and add extra flour. This is not a good way to go since the final baked product will end up denser than it should. It is very important to not add any more flour and instead knead as long as needed until the dough stops sticking to the bowl and becomes compact and flexible.
Directions
For the dough: Place into a stand mixer with hook attachment: bread flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Briefly stir with a whisk just enough to combine all ingredients (about 1 minute).
Add lukewarm water and Extra-virgin olive oil and knead on low speed until all ingredients are partially incorporated (about 1 to 2 minutes). Then increase speed to medium-high and knead until the dough is compact and stops sticking to the bowl (about 7 to 9 minutes).
Rising the dough: Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with plastic. Let it rise in a warm place until it has tripled in size (about 1 to 2 hours).
Shaping: Work on a surface (countertop) that has no flour on it. Place the dough on a work surface and separate the dough into 2 even pieces using a dough scraper. Form each piece of dough into a compact dough ball by stretching it, which also stretches the gluten, with the dough scraper:
To stretch the dough, place the dough scraper at a slight angle against the bottom part of the dough (between the dough and the table). Then, keeping one hand on the top of the dough, push the scraper so it slightly moves the dough on the surface. The dough will slightly roll and stretch at the same time. Repeat this step and each time rotate the bun about 90 degrees until the compact dough ball is shaped (about 2 to 3 times from each of the four sides).
Place each of them on the baking sheet.
4. Proofing: Prepare a brushing mixture by briefly hand whisking 1 egg with 1/4 cup of milk in a small mixing bowl. Brush both balls (keep the rest for the second brushing). Let them proof in a warm place until both dough balls expand and turn into wide loaves with a 9 to 10 inches diameter (usually about 1 to 2 hours, but it can take longer if your dough ends up denser).
5. Baking preparation: Set oven to 350 degrees. Gently brush both loaves using the remaining brushing mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in a preheated oven until done (about 15 minutes). Rotate the baking sheets in the middle of baking.
Test with a toothpick. Then cool on the cooling grate.
Final cutting: When the bread is fully cooled, cut each into quarters. Then, cutting from the tip of the bread, carefully cut a pocket (watch your fingers and do not put them in the way of the blade).
Tips:
● You can increase the rising time for up to four hours based on your convenience.
● You can bake more Turkish bread than you need and freeze it for later usage (it stays great in the freezer for up to a half year). Defrost in only three hours.
Source: Tom Slepicka
Tzatziki Salad
4 servings
Ingredients:
3 cucumbers — peeled and shredded
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves of garlic — peeled and grated
1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from one lemon
1/4 cup of fresh mint — finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper — ideally freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Cucumber preparation: Peel and shred cucumbers. Place them into a strainer and press them (with your hand or spatula) to release the liquid.
Note: For best results, let the cucumbers drip for a few minutes after with occasional pressing.
Place into a large mixing bowl.
Add into the large mixing bowl: yogurt; mayonnaise, mint, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
Thoroughly but gently mix together with a spatula. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
For best results, let rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or overnight).
Serve in a salad bowl or individual bowls.
Source: Tom Slepicka
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