Receta Chicken Gyros
Growing up in SmallTown, SC there were two restaurants. Well, there might have been 3, but one of them definitely had a C health rating. The first was the barbecue place. Open only Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the owners wasted not one red cent on ambiance or style. It served only water and sweet tea and you couldn’t go there without running into your uncle. We rarely dined in at this old place but frequently picked up take-out for dinners at home. Most cravings for the barbecue came on Sundays, though, so it was always an awfully long wait until the following Thursday’s dinner.
The other restaurant growing up was the House of Pizza. Run by Greek immigrants, the restaurant was always packed. In the back of the restaurant was a PacMan machine where I dropped many quarters and out front was a cement park area where I walked atop bricked retaining walls for miles and miles, carefully placing one foot in front of the other as not to fall into the parking lot below.
My mom, a transplant to our small southern town, identified, I think, with the restaurant owners. Of course, the Greeks likely had it harder than my mom, but both faced the challenges of not-being-born into that elite (read the sarcasm there) Southern Town. If you are not sure what I’m talking about here, read a Pat Conroy novel. You won’t regret it.
On the menu was the classic gyro sandwich, the meal my mother ordered without fail every time. My mom insisted on pronouncing it as “hee-ro” which was different from the waitresses, who confirmed her order with “jye-ro” unless, of course, the owner was taking our orders {which she did sometimes}, in which case it was the “yee-ro.”
Pronunciation technicalities aside, the sandwiches at the House of Pizza were great. The meat – lamb and beef – was tender and spiced and the waitstaff made it seem like they loved serving you. While waiting for dinner, I’d often consume way too many cellophane wrapped crackers drowned in the house salad dressing, and then have absolutely no appetite for whatever I had ordered (funny how I remember my mom’s order more than my own? I think I rotated through every dish on the menu, though, being the adventurous eater I am).
I cannot compare this gyro to that gyro. But this one certainly brings back a flash of memories. This gyro has chicken as the main event and tons of fresh tomato, cucumber, onion, and parsley. The recipe comes from a real Greek as well, who sets us straight on the pronunciation of the sandwich in her own blog post. Thanks, Elly!
Chicken Gyros (from Elly Says Opa)
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbs. chicken pieces (I used breast this time)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 heaping Tbsp. plain yogurt
- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt sauce)
- Sliced tomatoes
- parsley
- Sliced onions
Pitas (my favorite homemade ones)
Instructions
Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, yogurt, and oregano in a bowl. Add the chicken and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat the broiler or grill. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and then cook thoroughly, about 5 minutes per side. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing into strips.
Meanwhile, heat your pitas (if using premade) over low heat in a dry skillet.
Top the pita with the chicken, tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, and parsley. Roll up and eat!