OPA!! Grilled Chicken Gyros

Here at the beach you can find lots of the usual sea side fair. Fish, and seafood, pizza and boardwalk fries. But when it comes to ethnic cuisine choices are limited. So I am forced to take matters into my own hands. As a child every so often we made a trek from Lansing, to Greek Town in Detroit, and ate at this dive of a place called, The Golden Fleece. Even though it boasted the same decor my mother remembers from her trips there as a girl, and probably hadn't changed for twenty years before that this place, hands down, had the best food in Greek town.

For dinner last night I was really craving a good gyro. I hate when I order one now and find those processed prepackaged strips of beef unceremoniously tossed on top of some pita and called a gyro. Sometimes I'm so desperate for those flavors I order it anyway. In the absence of owning a vertical spit these gyros will be grilled and made from chicken instead of the traditional lamb and beef.

I've experimented with marinating chicken to achieve a Greek inspired flavor. Olive oil as a base is always a good choice and one I've done numerous times. I've also followed recipes that had a yogurt based marinade. I don't care for that method. In my opinion the yogurt imparts too much tang into the chicken. I've been pondering a potential solution and had a go at it last night. If olive oil is standard and yogurt too much, what's a tried and true method of breaking down chicken and keeping it moist, tender and delicious? Buttermilk! Good Southern Mamas for who knows how long have known this secret and why shouldn't it work for other methods than frying? My results were delicious and I think I've found my new Greek go to.

OPA! Grilled Chicken Gyros (Serves 4)

What you need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced lengthwise (butterflied) boneless thighs could also be used if your prefer dark meat. If you use thighs you'll probably need a couple more than 4. 
1 to 1-1/2 cups of buttermilk (enough to cover all the chicken)
3 teaspoons fresh minced garlic or the minced garlic in a jar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (plus more before grilling)
1 teaspoon pepper (plus more before grilling)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
sliced onion
sliced tomato
shredded lettuce
pita bread
feta cheese (optional)
your favorite Tzatziki sauce

What to do:

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large zip storage bag four hours before you plan to grill. After four hours salt and pepper the chicken on both sides before grilling it until thoroughly cooked on medium high heat. Cover the chicken with foil for 10 minutes then slice breasts into strips. Lay the chicken in a piece of pita bread and top with the sliced onion, tomato, lettuce, and tzatziki*. ENJOY!

*I like my tzatziki thick enough to stand up a spoon. I found this recipe infographic the other day and followed it to the letter (eliminating the dill. I feel about dill the way some feel about cilantro. Ahem.) The tzatziki takes a little bit more planning but the end result is so worth it.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!!

Cheers!
Saron