Chicken Gyro Platter with Lemon Rice and Tzatziki

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Everything from the pita, spread out on a plate: gyro-spiced chicken thighs griddled hard in a cast-iron pan until the edges char, piled next to fluffy lemon-oregano rice, a crunchy tomato-cucumber salad, thick garlicky tzatziki and warm pita. It's a full Mediterranean platter dinner for four that scales up to a crowd without any new technique — double the marinade, cook the chicken in batches, and let people build their own plates.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 5 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 medium English cucumber
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 3 cups chopped romaine or little gem lettuce
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 4 thick pita breads
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• pickled pepperoncini, optional

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: pat the thighs dry and trim any large fat pockets. In a large bowl whisk together 1/4 cup yogurt, 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp lemon juice, the grated garlic, oregano, coriander, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, 2 tsp salt and the red wine vinegar. Add the chicken and turn to coat every surface. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally 4 to 12 hours.
2. Make the tzatziki: grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, toss with 1/4 tsp salt and let sit in a colander 10 minutes, then squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel — squeeze harder than feels necessary. Stir the drained cucumber into the 1 1/2 cups yogurt with the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Refrigerate until serving; it improves after 30 minutes.
3. Cook the rice: rinse the rice in a fine strainer until the water runs nearly clear, then drain well. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium, add the onion and cook 4 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and stir 1 minute to toast, then add the broth, oregano and 3/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook 15 minutes. Off the heat, keep covered 10 more minutes, then fluff with a fork and fold in the lemon juice, zest and parsley.
4. While the rice cooks, take the chicken out of the fridge so it loses its chill — about 20 minutes on the counter. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly.
5. Lift the thighs from the marinade, letting excess drip off (too much clinging yogurt steams instead of chars). Lay them in the dry hot pan in a single uncrowded layer — work in two batches. Cook undisturbed 5 to 6 minutes until the underside is deeply browned with blackened edges, flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until the thickest part registers 175°F. Move to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes; wipe the pan and repeat with the second batch.
6. Toss the salad: combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and olives in a bowl. Whisk 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp oregano with a pinch of salt, pour over and toss. Scatter the feta on top.
7. Warm the pita: brush lightly with olive oil and toast in the hot chicken pan 30 to 45 seconds per side until puffed and spotty. Stack and wrap in a towel to stay soft.
8. Slice the rested chicken across the grain into thin strips, scraping any board juices back over the meat. Build each platter with a bed of lemon rice, a pile of sliced chicken, a mound of salad, a generous spoon of tzatziki, a lemon wedge and pepperoncini if you like. Serve the warm pita alongside for scooping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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