Chicken Gyros
Ahh to be in the sunshiney Greek islands, stumbling down precarious cliffs to get to the best beach cove, frappes, dancing on tables and especially knocking back a chicken gyros for lunch. This is my super fresh take on Greece’s national fast food. There are many steps to this recipe so feel free to cheat away or don’t, and you’ll be richly rewarded with fluffy pita, crispy flavourful chicken, creamy tzatziki and optional oven baked chips on the side (or stuffed in your pita). You do you.
Chicken Gyros
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
Marinade
1 whole chicken, deboned with skin on or use 6 chicken thighs skin on
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juice squeezed
1 tbs olive oil
3 tbs greek yoghurt
1.5 tbs dried oregano
salt and pepper
Pita
2/3 cup milk at room temp
1/3 cup water
1 tsp raw sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
320g 00’ flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbs olive oil
Tzatziki
1 cucumber grated
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup Greek yoghurt
2 cloves garlic (roasted in oven for 15 minutes or until soft)
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbs fresh dill chopped
Chips
6 sebago potatoes, peeled and cut into thick batons
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 lemon, juice squeezed
50g feta, crumbled
Salad
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tbs capers
1 tsp dried oregano
splash of red wine vinegar
splash of olive oil
Rub all the marinade ingredients over the chicken and set aside in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
To make the pita, combine the milk, water, sugar and yeast in a jug and set aside for 5 minutes to activate the yeast. Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the yeast mixture, stirring after each addition. When the dough comes together add the olive oil and mix. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with floured hands until soft and smooth (about 5 minutes). Return the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to rest for 40 minutes.
Pre heat oven to 190c
Grate the cucumber, sprinkle with salt and set aside to drain in a sieve.
Pop the chicken in the oven, skin side up. Drizzle with an extra small amount of olive oil and roast for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the oven in a small oven proof dish in the last 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the spuds pop them in a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Drain and bash them about a bit to fluff up the edges to ensure crispy bits.
Remove chicken and the roasted garlic from oven when done. Lightly tent to chicken with foil and allow to rest. Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan and pour the drained chicken juices (fat) and season with salt and pepper and oregano and squeeze over the lemon juice. Pop the potatoes in the oven, because they are parboiled they should only take 20 - 30 minutes until golden and crispy. When done crumble over the feta.
Mix together the drained cucumber, with the roasted garlic, yoghurt salt and lemon and dill and set aside.
Cut the pita dough into 6 equal portions. One by one, roll out the dough out to form a 20cm circle. Heat a non stick pan over a medium heat, and cook each pita separately, flipping over when bubbles appear. They will only take a minute or so on each side.
Chop the salad ingredients and mix together. Chop up the chicken.
To assemble, spread tzatziki over the warm pita, pile with chopped chicken, salad, chips on the side or inside (up to you) and drizzle over more tzatziki.
Mouth watering stuff..
