Turmeric Chicken Gyro
Makes 8 gyros
For Turmeric Chicken:
1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
3-4 tablespoons fresh turmeric, grated or minced
1-2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or minced
4-5 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons oil, plus more for grilling
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For Garnish:
½ medium onion, diced
½ cucumber, diced
1 cup tomatoes, diced (about 1 Roma tomato, diced, or 20 cherry tomatoes, quartered)
Tzatziki, homemade or store-bought
8 pitas
In a food processor, add the chunks of onion, turmeric, ginger, garlic cloves, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and make sure all the pieces are covered in marinade. Cover and let it sit for 1 – 24 hours in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Pat dry the chicken.
FYI: Some marinade will stay on, but the overall chicken pieces will be relatively dry. The idea is you want to avoid having the chicken dripping with liquid or else it won’t grill properly.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. As it’s heating up, add a bit of vegetable oil. Working in batches, if necessary, add a layer of chicken thighs and grill them until the bottom is brown, about 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°, about an additional 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest.
While the chicken is resting, add the remaining marinade to a small saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat. Simmer and stir frequently, making sure nothing burns to the bottom. Cook the marinade down until most of the liquid has simmered off and the mixture has turned to a paste. Set aside.
When you’re ready to eat, cut the chicken into bit-sized pieces.
To make the gyro, warm the pitas in the microwave and cut a pocket into the pita. Spread a layer of tzatziki and the turmeric paste onto the sides, making sure you go all the way in. I like to layer my gyro, starting from the bottom: chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and tzatziki. If you make your layers not too big, you can repeat the layers.
Enjoy!
