Greek Salad Gyro Bowls with Pan-Seared Chicken

Name: Greek Salad Gyro Bowls with Pan-Seared Chicken
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry, trimmed of large fat pieces; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 3 tbsp (45 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2½ g) sweet paprika; ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground cinnamon; 1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for the pan; 1½ cups (285 g) long-grain white rice (such as basmati), rinsed in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear; 2¼ cups (530 ml) water, cold; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter; ½ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 3½ oz (100 g) English cucumber, coarsely grated, then squeezed dry in a clean towel; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, grated or finely minced; 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ tsp (¾ g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 9 oz (250 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) half-moons; 10 oz (285 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved; ½ small (60 g) red onion, very thinly sliced; ½ cup (80 g) kalamata olives, pitted and halved; 5 oz (140 g) feta cheese, cut from a block, crumbled into large chunks; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Yogurt-and-lemon marinated chicken thighs are seared until deeply browned, sliced like gyro meat, and piled over fluffy rice with a crisp Greek salad, salty feta, and a quick homemade tzatziki.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 17 min
Wait: 40 min
Total: 1 hr 22 min
Makes: 4 generous bowls

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry, trimmed of large fat pieces
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 tbsp (45 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika
¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground cinnamon
1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for the pan
For the rice
1½ cups (285 g) long-grain white rice (such as basmati), rinsed in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear
2¼ cups (530 ml) water, cold
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
½ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
For the tzatziki
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
3½ oz (100 g) English cucumber, coarsely grated, then squeezed dry in a clean towel
1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, grated or finely minced
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp (0.8 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
For the Greek salad
9 oz (250 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) half-moons
10 oz (285 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ small (60 g) red onion, very thinly sliced
½ cup (80 g) kalamata olives, pitted and halved
5 oz (140 g) feta cheese, cut from a block, crumbled into large chunks
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
½ tsp (0.5 g) dried oregano
To serve
1 whole (85 g) lemon, cut into 4 wedges (optional)

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, cast iron or stainless steel
3-quart (2.8 L) saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
Medium bowl for marinating (about 2-quart / 2 L)
Large bowl for the salad
Fine-mesh sieve
Box grater
Instant-read thermometer
Cutting board and sharp knife

Steps

Before you start

The chicken needs at least 30 minutes in the marinade, so start there. You'll make the tzatziki and chop the salad while it marinates.
Buy a block of feta packed in brine if you can. It is creamier and less dry than pre-crumbled feta.
Use full-fat (5% or 10%) Greek yogurt. Low-fat yogurt makes a thinner tzatziki.
Start the rice just before you sear the chicken, so both are ready at the same time.

1
Marinate the chicken
- In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp yogurt, minced garlic, 2 tsp oregano, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, 1½ tsp salt, and pepper into a thick, loose paste.
- Add the chicken thighs and turn them with your hands until every piece is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in a thick, orange-tinted layer of marinade
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 4 hours. The lemon juice can make the surface of the meat mushy.
2
Make the tzatziki
- Wrap the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard over the sink until no more liquid drips out.
- In a small bowl, stir together the 1 cup yogurt, squeezed cucumber, grated garlic, 2 tsp lemon juice, chopped dill, 1 tsp olive oil, and ¼ tsp salt.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Tzatziki is thick and spoonable, not watery
Tip: Squeezing the cucumber is the key step. Skip it and the tzatziki turns thin within minutes.
3
Prep the salad vegetables
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced cucumber, halved tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and halved olives.
- Don't add the dressing or feta yet.
- Cover and set aside at room temperature.
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Ready when: Vegetables are cut to similar bite-size pieces
Tip: If the onion tastes sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
4
Rinse and combine rice
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for about 1 minute, shaking the sieve, until the water runs mostly clear.
- Drain well.
- Transfer to a 3-quart saucepan and add the 2¼ cups cold water, ½ tsp salt, and the butter.
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Ready when: Water runs mostly clear when rinsing
Tip: Measure the water exactly. Rinsed long-grain rice needs a 1:1.5 ratio of rice to water by volume.
5
Simmer the rice
- Bring the rice to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring once.
- As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover with the tight lid, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Start the chicken (next step) while the rice simmers.
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Ready when: After 15 minutes, the surface shows small steam holes and the water is absorbed
Tip: Lifting the lid lets steam escape and leaves the rice unevenly cooked.
6
Sear the chicken
- Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Lift the thighs from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and lay them in a single layer with space between each.
- Cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes until deep golden brown on the bottom.
- Flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).
- Work in two batches if the pan is crowded.
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Ready when: Both sides are deeply browned with charred edges, and an instant-read thermometer reads at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part
Tip: Don't move the chicken while it sears. Moving it early tears the crust and the meat sticks. Thighs taste more tender at 175°F (80°C) if you want to cook them a little longer.
7
Rest, slice, fluff
- Move the chicken to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, take the rice off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes.
- Slice the chicken against the grain into ½-inch (1 cm) strips, like gyro meat.
- Fluff the rice with a fork.
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Ready when: Sliced chicken is juicy with no pink, and rice grains are separate and fluffy
Tip: Pour any juices from the cutting board over the sliced chicken.
8
Dress and assemble
- Drizzle the 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp vinegar over the salad vegetables, sprinkle with ½ tsp oregano, and toss gently.
- Divide the rice among 4 bowls.
- Top each with sliced chicken, a generous pile of salad, a quarter of the feta, and a big spoonful of tzatziki.
- Add a lemon wedge to each bowl, if using.
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Ready when: Salad is glossy with dressing and not watery
Tip: Dress the salad right before serving so the tomatoes and cucumbers stay crisp. Olives and feta are salty, so don't add extra salt to the salad.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the chicken dry after lifting it from the marinade if the pieces are very wet. Too much marinade makes the chicken steam instead of sear.
For crispier, more gyro-like edges, press the sliced chicken back into the hot skillet for 1 minute.
Cut the cucumbers and tomatoes the same size so every forkful has a bit of each.
Warm pita on the side if you want to scoop up the extras.

Make ahead

Marinate the chicken up to 4 hours ahead. Make the tzatziki up to 1 day ahead and chop the salad vegetables up to 4 hours ahead, keeping them separate and covered in the fridge. Dress the salad just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Store the chicken, rice, salad, and tzatziki in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days (the tzatziki up to 4 days). Don't freeze the salad or tzatziki. Cooked chicken and rice can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat the chicken and rice in the microwave, covered, with a splash of water, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or the chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side to 165°F (74°C). Breasts dry out faster, so don't overcook.
long-grain white rice (such as basmati) → cooked bulgur, quinoa, or warm orzo. Use about 3 cups cooked grain for 4 bowls and skip the rice steps.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → about 1¼ cups (300 g) store-bought tzatziki. The homemade batch makes roughly 1¼ cups, so use 1 to 1¼ cups store-bought and skip the tzatziki ingredients and step. Dairy-free yogurt-based tzatziki also works.
feta cheese → goat cheese or halloumi. Goat cheese is creamier. Halloumi can be pan-fried and is less salty than feta.