What's Cooking Wednesday - Souvlaki Chicken Gyro Style

I've been trying to expand my cooking horizons a little bit. That's been the best thing about the whole What's Cooking Wednesday experiment. It's really kept me from getting lazy in the kitchen department. I really have come to enjoy Greek food in the last few years so I thought it was time to give it a try myself.

Souvlaki Marinade: 3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves Tzatziki Sauce (cucumber sauce): 1/2 cup seeded, shredded cucumber 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup plain yogurt 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning kosher salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 large pita bread rounds 1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut into 1/4 inch slices 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 tomato, halved and sliced 1/2 cup kalamata olives 1/2 cup pepperoncini 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, juice from 1/2 lemon, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Toss the shredded cucumber with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and allow to sit at least 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, rice vinegar, and olive oil. Season with garlic, fresh dill, and Greek seasoning. Squeeze the cucumber to remove any excess water; stir into sauce. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. Remove chicken from marinade and place on prepared grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow to sit about 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips. Place pita rounds on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes, until warm, turning frequently to avoid burning. Arrange warmed pita, sliced chicken, lettuce, onion, tomato, olives, and pepperoncini on a serving platter. Serve tzatziki sauce and feta cheese in separate bowls on the side. Stuff pita pockets with chicken and toppings to serve. Recipe Notes: Okay I'm not going to lie to you. This recipe is a bit of work. What with all the marinating and the tzatziki making and if you want to cheat and buy yourself some ready made tzatziki sauce I certainly wouldn't tell anyone. Promise. If you do want to make the sauce yourself you need to plan a head a bit. I made this to eat the same day. The tzatziki was okay, but it really tasted better after sitting in the fridge overnight. I served ours pretty simply with just lettuce, cheese and tomato. For the cheese I bought a sundried tomato feta. Mike thought the vinegar was too strong in the tzatziki so next time I'd knock that back a bit, but all in all it was a good meal. 4/5 Still hungry? Try out the sweet and sour spareribs at Virtually There What's the big deal about What's Cooking Wednesday and how do I play? Playing is easy, wait until Wednesday rolls around and post a recipe that has been tried and tested by you. Pictures are always appreciated, but not necessary to play. Then drop me an email or leave a comment letting me know you played so I can add you to the WCW weekly master list. What's Cooking Wednesday was born out of a desire to get out of that "what's for dinner" rut. Also I had hope that someday I could get my Mimico girl to attempt a recipe. And I am happy to say, mission accomplished. My Nancy did it. So I guess I could retire, but you know, I likely won't.