Chicken Gyros and “Salsa”

Macros / Serving Size

Protein 40 g | Fat 11 g | Carbs 50 g

% Calories of Macros / Serving Size

Calories 446 | Protein 35 % | Fat 22 % | Carbs 43 %

Nutrients / Serving Size

Fiber 7 g | Sodium 379 mg | Sat. Fat 2 g

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1  large cucumber
• 6  oz. Greek nonfat yogurt
• ¼ tsp. lemon juice
• 4  garlic cloves, finely minced
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of cumin
• 1  pint of halved grape tomatoes
• 1  small red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼  cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3  cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1  cup green pepper (optional)
• ½  cup red onion, chopped
• ½  tsp. lemon juice
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 2  tbsp. of oil
• 2  tsp. Italian herb blend
• 12  oz. cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 4  whole wheat pitas

Directions

1. Peel and remove the seeds from the cucumber.  Discard the seeds.
2. Grate half of the cucumber and then squeeze it with your hands to remove excess water.  Add the cucumber to the Greek yogurt and then stir the lemon juice, half of the garlic and a dash of pepper and cumin – to taste.
3. For the salsa, cut the remaining cucumber into small pieces and stir together the grape tomatoes, small red onion, chopped mint, chopped parsley, green pepper, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a small saucepan, simmer the oil, the Italian herb blend and the remaining garlic.  Stir constantly for about one minute – the garlic should NOT brown.
5. Pour the oil over the cooked chicken that has been diced or shredded and mix well.
6. Place the pitas in the microwave with a damp paper towel covering them and warm for about 30 seconds.
7. For each pita, spread ¼ of the cucumber sauce on the pita and then add ¼ of the warmed chicken.  Top each with the desired amount of salsa.
8. Serve this chicken gyro with your favorite fresh fruit.  Mangoes or clementines pair well with the gyro.

Notes

• Use the Italian herb blend and parsley along with a couple minced garlic cloves to make your own marinade.
• Add some cumin to your next pot of chili or use it instead of taco seasoning.
• Nutrition analysis is based on the use of large pitas (6-7 inches in diameter) and excludes the optional ingredients.