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Chicken Gyros with Cucumber Salsa and Tsatsiki

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Photo by Romulo Yanes
  • Active Time

    40 min

  • Total Time

    40 min

It's March, which feels like the longest month, and for many of us, it's still cold and dreary outside. Time to start fantasizing about sitting at a café table somewhere hot and dazzlingly sunnyéa Greek island would do nicely. These hearty sandwiches will take you there.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

2 Kirby cucumbers, divided
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt (3/4 pounds)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, divided
5 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano
1 rounded teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 (12-ounces) package naan bread (four 8-inch pieces) or 4 (8-inch) pocketless pita rounds
1/2 roast chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded (about 2 1/4 cups), and carcass reserved forstock
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
  1. Step 1

    Preheat broiler.

    Step 2

    Peel and grate 1 cucumber, then squeeze it with your hands to remove excess water. Stir together with yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, one third of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to make tsatsiki.

    Step 3

    Cut remaining cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces and stir together with tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to make salsa.

    Step 4

    Gently simmer oil, oregano, rosemary, remaining garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small heavy saucepan, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss chicken with 3 tablespoons garlic oil and brush one side of bread with remainder.

    Step 5

    Heat bread, oiled side up, in a 4-sided sheet pan, covered with foil, 3 to 4 inches from broiler 3 minutes. Uncover and broil, rotating bread for even coloring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes.

    Step 6

    Spread some of tsatsiki on warm bread and top with chicken and some of lettuce and salsa. Serve remaining lettuce, salsa, and tsatsiki on the side.

Cooks' note:

Tsatsiki can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

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Reviews (97)

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  • This was delicious and easy.

    • Lisa E

    • Seattle ish

    • 1/4/2023

  • This was delicious! Since this was just for the two of us I cut the ingredients in half and used a leftover breast half from a roast chicken. Since the meat was cold I sauteed it in the oil for a few minutes to warm it up, otherwise I made it exactly as written. This will become part of the regular rotation around here. A really great way to use up chicken leftovers.

    • dianahigdon

    • 7/24/2017

  • This was excellent and easy. Like others, I subbed in a few chicken breasts and added cumin and a little cayenne to the spice mix when sauteeing the chicken.

    • kendalljacobsen

    • Albany, NY

    • 2/20/2017

  • This is an excellent recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. I skipped adding the iceberg lettuce (not a fan of iceberg lettuce) but otherwise followed the instructions exactly. I used the bones of the rotisserie chicken to make stock for my freezer (never waste poultry bones!), so the next time I made this dish, I accompanied it with Avgolemono soup (//m.fonts4kids.com/recipes/food/views/avgolemono-352269). The dish has become a staple in my house. Everyone looks forward to Greek night!

    • neha

    • 12/4/2015

  • Excellent!! I grilled my own chicken breasts w/o.o and s&p then brushed with the garlic oil. It was all a delicious combination, well received by my guests!

    • c3nolan

    • Westford, MA

    • 8/28/2015

  • Fantastic! I poached a few chicken breasts, shredded them, and sauteed in the garlic oil before serving. I also used whole wheat Arabic bread, and made more salsa than the recipe calls for...but overall, followed directions and it turned out wonderfully - will become part of my rotation!

    • Cycling_Sarah

    • Doha, Qatar

    • 4/3/2015

  • 什么宝石!我很高兴,我试着这道菜because it is going to be a summer staple at my house going forward. I followed the recipe to the T and the results were excellent. The tatziki was flavorful, as was the chicken. The salsa added texture to the dish.

    • Neha

    • Washington, DC

    • 3/31/2015

  • Great recipe! Would not change a thing. Even my Greek friends approved. Served it with wedge cut oven roasted potoatoes and greek olives

    • tghunter

    • Des Moines, IA

    • 3/30/2015

  • It's a keeper! Even the teenagers liked it. I grilled some chicken breasts and shredded them up. Not sure how anyone could say the chicken lacks flavor, I had to hold myself back from eating it all before everyone made their sandwiches. Garlic naan from Trader Joe's is perfect for this meal. More garlic oil next time!

    • ethanrob

    • San Jose, CA

    • 3/26/2015

  • Loved this. Next time I will definitely double the the oil/ garlic sauce. It was wonderful on the chicken, and perfect on the pita bread. Would have loved to do more pita and with just the sauce. Skipped the lettuce.

    • sallyjankowiak

    • Orange County, CA

    • 3/25/2015

  • This was simple, delicious, and fresh. It will become a go-to for last minute meals or meals on the go.

    • katmarch2879

    • Alexandria VA

    • 11/7/2014

  • These were delicious. I doubled the recipe for a group and it went over really well. My only comment is that if you make more of something increase the cucumber/tomato salsa and it makes PLENTY of tsatsiki ---could easy make less of that.

    • twinmomplus2

    • Grand Rapids MI

    • 5/10/2014

  • So good. My whole family loved it. I sauteed chicken breast in the oil and herbs, since I didn't have any precooked. I also substituted dried parsley and a whole tomato, rather than the cherry tomatoes. Definitely will add this to my regular dinner roster.

    • jcp0805

    • Georgia

    • 3/20/2014

  • i have made this loads of times, it's so good. I never have leftover roast chicken so pan fry chicken thighs, chop them up and put in the pan of herb infused oil when it's still warm. also add to the salsa - roasted red peppers and chili, and I make a bigger amount. I add more garlic to the chicken and yoghurt as I can not have too much garlic. at work a colleague came over to my desk and asked to try it as it smelled so good!

    • emanon

    • 11/2/2013

  • Delicious, easy, and everyone loved them-- including my picky three year old. The tzatziki recipe alone is absolutely amazing and worth trying with bread. I substituted stir-fry beef for the chicken just to try it, and it was still incredible.

    • sarellikaty

    • Victoria, BC

    • 8/20/2013

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