Greek Chicken Gyros

These were so good.  They were a little time-consuming, since I made the flat bread, tzatziki, chicken, and prepped the veggies, but it was worth it.  You can prepare the tzatziki the day before to save on time, and marinate the chicken a few hours before.  If you live in an area where you can buy good flat bread, you can also choose to do that.

Greek Chicken Gyros
adapted from Cooking Classy
Yield: About 6 servings

Chicken Soulvaki:
1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For serving:
6 - 8 Greek Pita Flatbread, homemade or store-bought (recipe follows)
Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought (recipe follows)
Garnishes and Toppings: Diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, chopped Romaine lettuce, diced red onions, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives

1.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, chopped red onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Place chicken in a gallon ziploc bag (or covered bowl), pour marinade over chicken, seal bag while pressing out excess air and transfer to refrigerator to marinate 2 - 4 hours. Remove chicken from the fridge during the last 30 minutes of marinating to rest at room temperature before grilling (leave in marinade).

2.  Brush grill grates lightly with oil and preheat grill over moderately high heat. Once hot, add chicken and grill until cooked through (internal temperature should register 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer), rotating once halfway through cooking. Remove from grill, transfer to plate, then cover with foil and allow to rest 10 minutes. Dice into strips.

To assemble gyros:  Layer chicken in a row along center of flat bread, top with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, red onion, feta, and tzatziki sauce. Wrap and serve.

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 medium cucumber, seeded* (or use an English cuke; no need to seed)
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
Freshly ground black pepper

1.  In a food processor, shred the cucumber.  Squeeze handfuls of shredded cucumber into a bowl to get rid of excess water.  Discard liquid.

2.  Add in Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, mint, and dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in cucumber.  Store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days.
*To seed the cucumber, slice in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop the seeds out.

Greek Flat bread:
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup warm water, 110 degrees
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp milk, heated to 110 degrees
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour (can add up to 1/4 cup more flour as needed)

1.  In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together yeast, sugar and warm water until yeast has dissolved then let rest 5 minutes. Add in warm milk, olive oil, salt and 1 1/2 cups bread flour and fit mixer with whisk attachment and blend mixture until well combined. Switch attachment to hook attachment, add in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and knead mixture on low speed until blended, then increase to medium-low and allow to knead about 5 minutes longer until smooth an elastic (dough should not stick to sides of the bowl, so add more flour if necessary). Transfer dough to bowl lightly coated with oil, cover with a damp towel and allow to rest in a warm place until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

2.  Press dough down and divide dough into 6 - 8 equal portions. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough out into a round (I made 6 large 8-inch pitas) on a lightly floured surface. Heat a large non-stick skillet slightly over medium heat. I used a bit of cooking spray for this, and my electric skillet.  Once hot, add flat bread and cook until bubbles begin to appear on surface and bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook opposite side until golden brown. Transfer to a large plate, cover with foil leaving a small opening for excess moisture to escape. Repeat process with remaining flat bread. Store in an airtight container (best served day prepared. I'd rewarm mine wrapped in damp paper towels in the microwave).

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