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Greek Chicken Marinade for Gyros


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  • Author: Mel and Boys Kitchen

Ingredients

Scale
For the chicken:
  • 5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • Juice of 2 lemon (23 Tablespoons)
  • 2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup heaping plain Greek yogurt ( can sub buttermilk or leave out)
  • 2 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 34 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the Tzatziki Sauce:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (add buttermilk to thin out if desired)
  • 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Extra virgin olive oil

To assemble:

  • Pita bread (or Naan bread)
  • romaine or spinach leaves
  • Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • Red onion, sliced thin
  • feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

For the chicken:
  1. Combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
  2. Whisk together until well combined. Add chicken to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour but longer is great…and overnight is even better!
  3. Cook the chicken as desired, either grill, or bake.
To grill.
  1. As the chicken marinates, clean the grill grates and lightly oil with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Set grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly on the grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cover the grill and allow the chicken to cook for approximately 5 minutes before reducing heat to medium. Allow chicken to cook for an additional 2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each breast over. Grill for an additional 5-7 minutes (or longer), or until the thickest part of your chicken registers 160 degrees F. with a digital meat thermometer.
  3. Thicker chicken breasts will take longer to cook. I highly recommend the use of a digital meat thermometer when meats ( I shared the one I use above).
  4. Allow chicken to rest. Remove chicken breasts from the grill and set aside to a clean plate. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
To bake Greek Chicken
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Discard any remaining marinade.
  3. Bake until internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees F as read with a digital meat thermometer.
  4. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
For the the tzatziki sauce:
  1. Shred the cucumber or you could chop in a food processor. Be sure to wrap the shredded cucumber in a towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. This is VERY important!! Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
  3. Heat pitas. Top with sliced chicken, tzatziki sauce, spinach or romaine, diced tomatoes, feta crumbles and sliced onions. Enjoy!