Chicken Gyro with Golden Raisin & Toasted Almond Freekeh Pilaf

Inspiration

When we first had James we were very busy and tired so we ordered out a lot.  One of our favorite places was Souvla in SF.  We'd often split a chicken gyro and a shredded chicken kale salad.  After having one too many of these gyros, I decided to take a stab at my own.

Ingredients

Gyro Stuffers

• 1 1/2 lbs organic cage-free chicken tenders
• 4 pita pockets, halved
• 4 oz sheep & goat's milk feta
• 1/2 cucumber, deseeded, halved lengthwise and sliced
• Small bowl of mixed leafy greens
• Small bowl of toy box cherry tomatoes, halved

Marinade

• 1 1/2 cups 2% Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 Tbsp tumeric
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Freekeh Pilaf

• 1 cup freekeh
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup raw almonds, slivered

Tzatziki

• 3/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tbps parsley, finely chopped
• 1 Tbps mint, finely chopped
• 1 Tbps dill, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• black pepper to taste
• drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Pickled Onions

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Directions

Chicken

1. Combine and whisk all the marinade ingredients in a bowl
2. Add the chicken to the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 1/2 hours
3. Heat canola oil on medium high in a skillet
4. Cook the chicken in batches to avoid crowding
5. Cook 4 1/2 minutes on the first side or until browned
6. Flip and cook for 3 1/2 minutes on the other side
7. Rest the chicken on a paper towel lined plate

Freekeh Pilaf

1. Combine the freekeh, broth and salt in a small pot
2. Bring to a boil
3. Cover and reduce to a low simmer for 45 minutes
4. While the freekeh is cooking, roast the slivered almonds in a small skillet until fragrant and golden brown
5. When there is little to no liquid left in the freekeh pot, fluff with a fork.
6. Fold in the roasted almonds and golden raisins

Tzatziki

1. Combine and stir all tzatziki ingredients in a bowl
2. Drizzle the olive oil on top
3. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes

Pickled Onions

1. Combine all of the pickled onion ingredients in a bowl
2. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes

Gyro Stuffers

1. Slice the pita pockets in half
2. Toast them in the oven at 350 for 3 - 5 minutes just before serving
3. Place all of the stuffers on a cutting board or along the table so folks can serve themselves