**Tantalize your taste buds with the tantalizing flavors of Greece with our delectable gyro and tzatziki sauce recipes. Embark on a culinary journey to the heart of the Mediterranean as we unveil the secrets to creating these iconic dishes. From the succulent marinated meat to the refreshing cucumber-yogurt sauce, each element of this classic duo is carefully crafted to deliver an explosion of flavors and textures. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or a novice in the kitchen, our step-by-step instructions and helpful tips will guide you through the process, ensuring a successful and satisfying culinary experience.**
**Indulge in the rich and savory flavors of our homemade gyro. Discover the art of marinating tender slices of chicken or lamb in a blend of aromatic herbs, spices, and tangy citrus. As the meat slowly absorbs the vibrant marinade, it transforms into a flavorful masterpiece. Grill the marinated meat to perfection, resulting in a succulent and smoky delicacy. With each bite, you'll be transported to the bustling streets of Athens, where the aroma of gyros fills the air.**
**Complement your gyro with our creamy and refreshing tzatziki sauce. This classic Greek sauce is a delightful combination of tangy yogurt, cool cucumber, and a symphony of herbs and spices. The creamy texture of the yogurt balances the crispness of the cucumber, while the herbs and spices add a layer of complexity and depth. Drizzle the tzatziki sauce generously over your gyro, or serve it as a dip for pita bread and fresh vegetables.**
**Elevate your culinary skills and impress your family and friends with these authentic Greek recipes. Let the tantalizing aroma of gyro and the refreshing flavors of tzatziki sauce fill your kitchen as you create a feast that celebrates the vibrant spirit of Greece.**
GREEK CHICKEN GYROS RECIPE WITH AUTHENTIC TZATZIKI SAUCE
This Greek Chicken Gyros recipe has the most tender, marinated grilled chicken seasoned with all your favorite gyro spices, topped with authentic tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and feta cheese wrapped in a pita bread for a delicious meal you will want to make again and again!
Provided by The Wanderlust Kitchen
Categories Main Dish
Time 3h40m
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Make the Tzatziki SauceMake this Authentic Greek Tzatziki Sauce a few hours in advance or overnight.
- Marinate the Chicken
- Measure the marinade ingredients and put them into a 1 gallon zip top bag, close the bag and then massage the bag to mix well.
- Add the chicken tenders to the zip top bag, close the bag and then massage the bag so that each chicken tender is well covered by the marinade.
- Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it marinate for at least 3 hours. 12 hours works the best, but don't marinate it longer than 24 hours or your chicken will be too mushy.
- Warm the Pita Bread
- Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Just before you cook the chicken, place the pita breads on a baking sheet and place them in the oven to be warmed.
- Cook the Chicken
- You can cook the chicken on an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan. Brush the grill / grill pan with olive oil, then preheat using medium high heat.
- After the grill / grill pan is hot, remove the chicken from the marinade bag and place on the grill / grill pan.
- Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on each side (cooking time depends on the size of chicken tenders), until they are golden brown and thoroughly cooked with an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the chicken from the grill / grill pan and place onto a cutting board. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the chicken tenders and put on a serving plate.
- Assemble the Gyros
- Lay out a warmed pita bread.
- Place sliced chicken down the middle of the pita bread.
- Top the chicken with an ample amount of tzatziki sauce.
- Garnish the top of the tzatziki sauce with cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese and optionally parsley.
- Fold up the pita bread and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Calories 664 kcal, Carbohydrate 68 g, Protein 32 g, Fat 29 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Cholesterol 69 mg, Sodium 540 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 5 g, UnsaturatedFat 19 g
HOMEMADE GREEK GYROS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE (KEBABS*)
My version of Alton Brown's delicious gyro recipe.
Provided by adapted by Christina Conte
Categories Main Courses
Time 1h35m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Run the onion in a food processor for about 15 seconds. Place the onion in the center of a kitchen towel and squeeze out the juice and return to the food processor.
- Add the meat, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to the onion, and process. Do so until it looks like a fine paste, about a minute. Place the mixture in a loaf pan and press evenly.
- Bake in a water bath (place loaf pan inside another pan filled with water) at 325°F (165°C) for about an hour or more until temperature reaches 165-170°F (75°C.)
- Remove from the oven, drain fat, and place on a cooling rack.
- Cover meat with aluminum foil and a heavy weight (Alton suggests a brick) for about 15 minutes until internal temperature is 175°F (79°C) (I found the times are not quite accurate, and I didn't know if the brick actually had an effect, but I think the important part is getting the meat to the correct temperature.)
- Place meat on a cutting board and slice as thinly as possible with an electric knife (using anything else would be much more difficult.)
- I added the following step myself as I think it mimics the rotisserie a bit more. Add a few slices to a nonstick frying pan (very little or no oil) and heat gently until the meat browns a little.
- In another pan, heat the pita bread.
- Finally, place the meat on one half of the pita, topped with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion. You could also put a little Greek dressing on the tomatoes too (extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, oregano.)
- Serve Homemade Greek Gyros with rice pilaf or a Greek salad, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 343 calories, Carbohydrate 6 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 106 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 22 grams fat, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 30 grams protein, SaturatedFat 8 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1 gyro, Sodium 692 milligrams sodium, Sugar 3 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams unsaturated fat
BEEF GYROS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE
A gyro is a Greek sandwich made of thin slices of roasted meat, served on pita bread with a cucumber-yogurt sauce. In this recipe, lean ground beef is seasoned with oregano and marjoram, pressed into a loaf pan, baked and thinly sliced to fill the pita.
Provided by EatingWell Test Kitchen
Categories Healthy Beef Recipes
Time 1h15m
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Prepare Tzatziki Sauce: In a small bowl stir together Greek yogurt, cucumber, red wine vinegar, dill, minced garlic and salt. Cover and chill up to 4 hours until ready to serve.
- Prepare Beef Gyros: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray.
- In a food processor combine the 1 cup onion and the water; cover and process until smooth. Press pureed onion through a fine-mesh sieve to remove excess liquid; discard liquid. Return onion to food processor. Add the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, oregano, marjoram, garlic, salt and pepper). Cover and process until mixture forms a paste.
- Lightly press meat mixture into prepared loaf pan. Place loaf pan in a 13x9-inch baking pan. Pour enough boiling water into baking pan to reach halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until done (160 degrees F) (see Tip). Drain off fat. Cool 10 minutes. Remove; cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick.
- Fill pita bread with meat, tomato, cucumber and red onion slices; top with cheese. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 205.7 calories, Carbohydrate 18.7 g, Cholesterol 63.7 mg, Fat 6.7 g, Fiber 6.9 g, Protein 23.7 g, SaturatedFat 2.3 g, Sodium 609.5 mg, Sugar 4.1 g
LAMB GYRO WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE AND SPICY SOUR CREAM SAUCE
Provided by Brianna Jenkins
Time 1h10m
Yield 8 gyros
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- In a large bowl, toss the cubed lamb with the garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and lemon juice. Coat the lamb completely. Let the lamb marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat a large, deep skillet over high heat and drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the lamb with 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the lamb to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides and cooked to medium-rare, about 4 minutes on each side.
- Heat the pita bread in a dry pan or in the microwave for just a few seconds until warm and pliable. On each piece of bread, lay a few pieces of lamb, some tomato slices, lettuce, feta and a spoonful of each sauce. Transfer to a serving platter, fold and enjoy!
- To make Tzatziki sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, mint, dill, lemon zest, and yogurt. Season with salt, to taste, and serve with the gyros.
- Yield: about 2 cups
- To make Spicy Sour Cream Sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, lemon, and sriracha sauce together until completely blended. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, and serve with the gyros.
- Yield: about 1 cup
GYRO SALAD WITH TZATZIKI DRESSING
If you're fond of gyros, you'll enjoy this garden-fresh salad showcasing ground lamb, crumbled feta cheese, Kalamata olives, tomatoes and a creamy, tangy dressing. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- In a large bowl, sprinkle cucumber with salt; mix well. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain. Stir in remaining dressing ingredients. Cover and refrigerate., In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook lamb, onion and Greek seasoning until meat is no longer pink; drain., Arrange salad mix on a large serving platter; top with tomatoes, cheese, olives and lamb. Spoon dressing over salad. Serve immediately with toasted pita wedges.
Nutrition Facts :
GYRO MEAT WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE
Follow Alton Brown's Food Network recipe to make Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce at home; the creamy cucumber-yogurt sauce goes perfectly with ground lamb.
Provided by Alton Brown
Categories main-dish
Time 3h45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.
- To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.
- To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:
- Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
- Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups
TZATZIKI (GYRO SAUCE)
I love the sauce that is on a gyro. I wanted to make my own for a greek salad to use as a dressing and found this in a Gourmet magazine. It worked out great. Now I just need to figure out gyros so that I can have it on that. Cooking time is for the chilling it is not necessary but I like mine served cold.
Provided by Huskergirl
Categories Sauces
Time 1h15m
Yield 1 cup
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Toss cucumber with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a colander and drain 15 minutes.
- Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then whisk together with olive oil, yogurt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Squeeze out any excess water from cucumbers with your hands, then stir cucumbers into yogurt mixture. Season with salt.
- Cover and chill 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 418.1, Fat 35.2, SaturatedFat 8.9, Cholesterol 31.9, Sodium 1279.7, Carbohydrate 18.6, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 14, Protein 9.8
Tips:
- Use high-quality meat: Choose a flavorful cut of beef or lamb for your gyro meat. Look for meat that is well-marbled, as this will help keep it juicy during cooking.
- Season the meat well: Be generous with the spices and herbs when seasoning the meat. This will help give the gyro its signature flavor.
- Cook the meat slowly: The key to tender, flavorful gyro meat is to cook it slowly over low heat. This will allow the meat to cook evenly and develop a nice crust.
- Make your own tzatziki sauce: Tzatziki sauce is a key component of any good gyro. It's easy to make at home and only requires a few simple ingredients.
- Use fresh vegetables: Fresh vegetables add a nice crunch and flavor to your gyro. Choose vegetables that are in season and at their peak of ripeness.
- Don't overload your gyro: It's important to not overload your gyro with too many toppings. This will make it difficult to eat and hold together.
Conclusion:
Gyros are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, or even as a snack. They're easy to make at home and can be customized to your liking. With a little practice, you'll be able to make gyros that are just as good as the ones you order from your favorite restaurant. So next time you're craving a gyro, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
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