This is how you make juicy chicken gyros with crispy zucchini fries

In the second duel of the second MasterChef Slovenia show, Daniela Perdih and Tjaša Kušter competed for a place on the balcony. The contestants had 45 minutes to prepare the dish that best represents them. Daniela decided on chicken gyros with zucchini fries. She topped pita bread with juicy chicken, tzatziki, peppers, onions and tomatoes, and served crispy zucchini on the side.

It was clear from the moment she tasted it that she had impressed the judges with her dish. "It's really good," said Luka Jezeršek, succinctly. Mojmir Šiftar was particularly impressed with the dish, who first praised Daniela's choice of chicken thighs: "The smartest idea was that you chose the thighs because they are juicy and don't dry out."

He gave the most praise to the zucchini fries, which Daniela prepared without frying in oil. "When I get to the zucchini, which are so cooked, as if they were fried, but without oil. They are very crispy, juicy inside. You are proof that you can eat great in a healthy way."

With her dish, Daniela showed that it is possible to prepare a slightly healthier version of the popular gyros without compromising on taste. Would you like to try Daniela's chicken gyros with crispy zucchini fries for yourself? Check out her recipe below and make it at home.

Ingredients

For the pie:

- 200 g white or semi-white flour - 200 g Greek yogurt - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon baking powder - spices (oregano, garlic powder) - 1 tablespoon olive oil

For meat:

- 300 g chicken thighs - 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt - a pinch of salt - spices (paprika powder, thyme, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder)

For tzatziki:

- 1 cucumber - 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt - a pinch of salt - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - spices (dill, garlic powder)

For the salad:

- 1/4 red pepper - 1/4 yellow pepper - 1/2 red onion - 1/2 tomato - juice of 1/2 lemon - 1 tablespoon olive oil - handful of fresh mint leaves - 50 g feta or similar soft cheese - a pinch of salt

For the zucchini:

- 1 zucchini - 1 egg - 100 g grated parmesan - a handful of flour - salt - oregano - garlic powder

Preparation process

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the pie, except the oil, and knead the dough. When the dough is combined, coat it with oil and let it rest. Prepare a marinade from yogurt and spices, which we coat the chicken thighs with, which we have previously salted. Marinate the meat for at least 10 minutes, then bake it on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes in a hot air fryer or a fan oven at 250 degrees Celsius, or until it is nicely browned on the outside. Turn the meat over if necessary during baking. Grate the cucumber, salt it, and leave it in a colander to drain as much water as possible. You can squeeze out any excess water with your hands. Transfer the drained cucumber to a bowl, add the yogurt, lemon juice, and spices, and mix everything well. Cut the bell pepper and onion into thin slices with a mandolin, and the tomatoes into small cubes. Finely chop the mint. Mix everything together and season with lemon juice, oil and salt. Cut the zucchini into sticks about 10 cm long and 1 cm thick. Beat the egg in a bowl and salt it. In another bowl, mix the grated Parmesan with the flour and spices. Dip the zucchini in the egg and roll them in the Parmesan and flour mixture, then arrange them on baking paper. Bake them for 5 to 8 minutes in a hot air fryer or a fan oven at 250 degrees Celsius. Divide the pie dough into two parts and roll them out to a diameter of about 25 cm. Place the dough on a hot dry frying pan and bake for about 2 minutes on each side. Brush the baked pie with tzatziki sauce. Cut the meat into strips and place it in the middle, add the salad on top and crumble some feta. Roll up the gyros and wrap them in parchment paper or a paper towel. Serve the zucchini fries next to the gyros, with the remaining tzatziki sauce in a small bowl.

Don't miss the new season of MasterChef Slovenia! Follow the intense test of cooking skills every week from Monday to Thursday at 8:00 PM on POP TV.