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Crispy Chicken Gyro Meatballs Recipe

Name: Sofia's Kitchen & Bars Crispy Chicken Gyro Meatballs Recipe
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 lbs ground chicken (preferably 85% lean); 0.5 cups panko breadcrumbs; 1 each large egg; 2 tsp garlic, minced; 0.25 cups onion, finely grated and excess liquid squeezed out; 2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 1.25 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 3 tbs olive oil (for shallow frying); 1 each red onion, thinly sliced; 0.5 cups apple cider vinegar; 0.5 cups water; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 1 cups Greek yogurt (plain, full fat or 2%); 0.5 cups cucumber, grated and excess liquid squeezed; 1 tbs fresh dill, chopped; 1 tbs fresh lemon juice; 0.5 tsp garlic, minced; 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 4 cups arugula; 0.5 cups feta cheese, crumbled; 2 each lemon wedges (optional); 4 each warm pita bread or flatbreads; 4 each fresh dill sprigs (for garnish)

Inspired by Sofia's Kitchen & Bar

Time50m

Serves4

pickled red onion, arugula, feta, dill, cucumber yogurt sauce

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Ingredients

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Meatballs

1 lbs ground chicken (preferably 85% lean)

1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

1 each large egg

2 tsp Garlic, minced

1/4 cups onion, finely grated and excess liquid squeezed out

2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tsp Dried oregano

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp Ground coriander

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 tbs olive oil (for shallow frying)

Pickled Red Onion

1 each Red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cups Apple cider vinegar

1/2 cups water

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

1 cups Greek yogurt (plain, full fat or 2%)

1/2 cups cucumber, grated and excess liquid squeezed

1 tbs fresh dill, chopped

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp Garlic, minced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Assembly & Salad

4 cups Arugula

1/2 cups Feta cheese, crumbled

2 each lemon wedges (optional)

4 each warm pita bread or flatbreads

4 each fresh dill sprigs (for garnish)

Method

Pickled Red Onion

Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar. In a small saucepan combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt; bring to a gentle simmer to dissolve sugar and salt, then remove from heat.

Pour hot pickling liquid over the onions so they are fully submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (best 1 hour) before serving. Keeps up to 2 weeks.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Grate cucumber and press in a clean towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture until you have about 1/2 cup drained cucumber.

In a bowl combine Greek yogurt, drained cucumber, chopped dill, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and taste; adjust salt or lemon as needed. Refrigerate until serving.

Meatballs

In a large bowl combine ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, grated onion (squeezed of liquid), chopped dill, dried oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Using wet hands or a small cookie scoop, form the mixture into meatballs about 1 1/4 inches (roughly 20–24 meatballs from 1 lb). Place formed meatballs on a tray and chill 10 minutes to help them hold shape.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches). Cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides about 6–8 minutes total. Reduce heat if they brown too quickly.

Once browned, add 2–3 tablespoons water to the pan and cover for 3–4 minutes to finish cooking through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Transfer cooked meatballs to a paper-towel-lined plate and keep warm. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil for subsequent batches if needed.

Assembly

Warm pita or flatbreads in a dry skillet or oven (wrap in foil and heat 5–8 minutes at 350°F / 175°C).

To assemble: spread about 2 tablespoons cucumber yogurt sauce on each warm pita. Top with a handful of arugula (approximately 1 cup per pita), 4–6 warm meatballs, a few slices of pickled red onion, and a sprinkle of crumbled feta (about 2 tablespoons).

Garnish with a small sprig of dill and an optional squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately while meatballs are hot and pitas are warm.