Chicken Gyro Salad

Chicken Gyro Salad (inspired by Half-Baked Harvest)

Chicken:

4 cloves garlic, smashed

juice of 1 lemon

3 tsp red wine or balsamic vinegar

3 Tb extra virgin olive oil

3 Tb plain Greek yogurt (I used 2 %)

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried dill

Salt and pepper

1 1/2-2 pounds boneless chicken, trimmed cut into thick strips/chunks (we had 2-3 pieces per chicken breast)

Tzatziki Sauce:

16 ounces plain Greek yogurt (I used the rest of that 2%)

1/2 English cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded and diced small

2-3 cloves garlic, pressed (or finely minced)

1 Tb white wine vinegar

1 tsp, dried dill

1 tsp dried oregano

half a fresh lemon, juiced

1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

lettuce (romaine, mixed greens, red or green leaf, we liked a mix of many types!)

tomatoes

cucumbers

red onions

feta cheese

olives

other favorite salad fixings!

Chicken first! Combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Greek yogurt, oregano, dill, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. (I estimated about 3/4-1 tsp of salt) Whisk together until smooth. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour or overnight. (Or you can combine it all in a ziplock bag)

Next, the Tzatziki! First, pour any liquid off the surface of the Greek yogurt. (Full fat or 2% work best, nonfat is a bit thin) Combine the cucumbers, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Toss to combine, then put them in a wire mesh strainer over a small bowl. Let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This helps get rid of extra water in the cucumbers that can make your sauce watery. Mix together the yogurt, marinated and drained cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, dill, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and another drizzle of lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

When you're ready to cook, preheat your broiler. Line a large rimmed baking pan with foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the chicken on the baking pan and broil the chicken for 10 minutes until cooked through.

Let the chicken rest about 5-8 minutes, then slice up into smaller pieces. Pour the remaining marinade in a medium size skillet and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes and then toss the cooked chicken with the sauce.

Place a bed of lettuce on your plate. Top with salad fixings, chicken, feta, and dollops of tzatziki!