Chicken Souvlaki Sandwiches
with Homemade Tzatziki

For me, this is what summer tastes like: Char-grilled marinated chicken covered with a cool refreshing cucumber yogurt sauce, crisp veggies, and crumbled feta cheese, all wrapped up in a toasted fluffy pita bread. Using quality pita bread is very important here, do not use the ‘pockets’ that have horizontal holes pre-cut into them as these are very dry and crumbly. You want whole, thick, soft, and fluffy pitas that will hold up to heaps of delicious toppings. It’s at once both comforting and refreshing, offering a respite from the heat with the creamy yogurt and cucumber tzatziki, but reminding you of how much you love it with every bite of the hot and succulent bird. • serves 6

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Tzatziki

• 1½ cucumbers, peeled
• 16 ounces plain Greek yogurt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Chicken Souvlaki Sandwiches

• 6 quality fluffy pita breads (not pita pockets)
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cooked skewers Chicken Souvlaki
• 1½ cups shredded lettuce
• 2 medium tomatoes, halved and sliced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ cups feta cheese stored in brine, drained
• 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

For the tzatziki, cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out and discard the soft seed pulp in the center. Grate the cucumbers on the large hole setting of your grater, about ¼-inch in diameter. Place the cucumber in a sieve placed over a bowl and press on the cucumbers, expressing them of their juice. Discard the liquid.

Add the yogurt to the cucumber in the large bowl, along with the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined. Makes about 3 cups tzatziki. Cover and refrigerate until use. It will keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator; any leftover tzatziki makes for a great dip with lightly toasted pita, and also a very solid yogurt-based marinade for garlicky chicken.

For the sandwiches, lightly brush the tops and bottoms of the pita bread with the olive oil. Toast the pita bread on a griddle over medium-high heat until small golden patches appear on the raised area of the pita, about 2 minutes on each side.

Take a pita and lay it flat, bubbly side up. Lay a chicken souvlaki skewer down the center of the pita. Press down on the meat with the flattened palm of your hand and pull the skewer out with one fluid motion, leaving the chicken pieces on the pita. Discard the skewer. Top with ¼ cup shredded lettuce, 2 tablespoons tzatziki, 4 to 6 tomato slices, a light handful of onion slices, ¼ cup feta, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Fold up the edges of the pita around the center so that they just touch over the fillings. Wrap in wax paper and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 6 sandwiches and serve immediately.