Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Sauce

Hurricane season is here in theory, though Tampa has been fortunate for decades — the storms veer away, hit other coasts, spare us with a regularity that makes locals both grateful and complacent. I am not complacent. I survived a different kind of storm in 2008 and I know that the thing you think cannot happen is exactly the thing that happens. I keep supplies. I have a plan. I also have three days' worth of avgolemono in the freezer because if the power goes out I am going to need comfort food more than I need flashlight batteries.

Alexander is wrapping up his summer job with the satisfaction of a boy who has completed a mission. His boss gave him a letter of recommendation for college applications, which Alexander received with the restrained delight of someone who pretends not to care about praise but does, because all Papadopouloses care about praise even when we pretend we do not.

Sophia spent the week reading and swimming at the community pool and being fourteen in the most complete way possible — sun-soaked, bored, restless, alive. She told me she is nervous about starting high school next month. I said everyone is nervous about starting high school. She said that does not help. I said no, but this will: I made her loukoumades. Warm, honey-drenched, golden. She ate seven and her nervousness did not disappear but it got quieter, which is all food can really do — turn the volume down on the hard things so you can hear the good things underneath.

I made imam bayildi this week — Turkish-Greek eggplant stuffed with tomatoes and onions and garlic, braised in olive oil until the eggplant collapses into silk. The name means the imam fainted, supposedly because it was so delicious. I do not know if the imam fainted. I know that I stood at the stove and watched the eggplant soften and the olive oil pool and the kitchen smell like the Mediterranean on a hot afternoon, and I thought: this is what I do. I cook. I feed. I sell houses and I feed people and I keep going. The imam might have fainted from the food. I faint from nothing. I am a Papadopoulos. We stand up.

Mama called to say Dimitri finally took his vacation — a week in Key West with Maria and the boys. She reported this with the tone of a field commander noting that a soldier had deserted. I said good for Dimitri. She said hmph. Hmph is Mama's entire review. It contains volumes.

The week that gave me imam bayildi and loukoumades and Sophia’s quiet nervousness and Alexander’s restrained pride — that kind of week asks for one more thing from the kitchen before it closes. Something lighter than braised eggplant, simpler than fried dough, but still unambiguously Greek, still mine. This chicken gyro salad is what I make when the Mediterranean is already in my hands and I want to bring it to the table in a way the whole family will sit down for on a hot Tampa evening without complaint. It is tzatziki and oregano and lemon and the particular satisfaction of feeding people food that knows exactly what it is.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the tzatziki:
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 English cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the salad:
1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 English cucumber, sliced into half-moons
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Warm pita bread, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, onion powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat thoroughly. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Make the tzatziki. Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, then bundle it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic, dill, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Stir well, taste for seasoning, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes before slicing.
Build the salad. Arrange the romaine on a large platter or in individual bowls. Top with the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta.
Assemble and serve. Lay the warm chicken strips over the salad. Spoon the tzatziki generously over the top or serve alongside for dipping. Add warm pita on the side if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Sauce — The Mediterranean Table That Holds Us Up