On Monday I went a little over the top with my Chicken Cordon Bleu-Croque Monsieur. To prove that’s not how I always eat, I’m sharing a lighter meal that’s perfect to enjoy any day of the week.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

It’s a good thing my favorite Greek joint in Atlanta is a trek from my house, or I just might go there every day (and that could get a little dangerous). Without fail I order the lamb gyro plate with a zesty salad and garlic roasted coin potatoes. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. I love their flavors so much that I decided to create an easier homemade version to enjoy in between my visits.

A Bon Appétit recipe for an Indian spiced yogurt marinated chicken inspired the marinade. Their version uses a whole pantry’s worth of ingredients and a blender; I cut it down to the bare necessities. The result is moist, tender chicken as good as any you’d find in a restaurant. I cooked the chicken in a garlic-oregano infused olive oil to amp up the flavors even more. My favorite part of this recipe, however, is the creamy “Greek” sauce. Instead of a traditional tzatziki (been there, done that), I used a riff on my favorite Alabama white sauce—a Southern-style barbecue sauce that uses mayonnaise as its base. Consider it my flirtatious little wink to the tastes of the Mediterranean.

I hope you love this easy, healthy lunch as much as I do. It’s definitely going into my regular rotation, and that’s a tough list to crack.

(Image credit: Nealey Dozier)

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Makes1 to 2 pitas

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the marinade:

1
large chicken breast (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup
plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons
olive oil
1 teaspoon
dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Greek sauce:

4 tablespoons
mayonnaise (regular or light)
1 tablespoon
milk
1 tablespoon
cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon
sugar
1/8 teaspoon
garlic powder
Squeeze of lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken

2 tablespoons
olive oil
2
large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 teaspoon
dried oregano
1
tomato, diced
1/2
cucumber, diced
Pita bread, for serving

Instructions

For the marinade, cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the yogurt, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until combined. Add the chicken and marinate for at least two hours, but overnight if possible.
For the Greek sauce, mix together all of the ingredients and refrigerate. Adjust seasoning according to taste before serving. (Note: I used 1/4 teaspoon salt and a very generous amount of black pepper. You can't have too much in my opinion.)
For the chicken, wipe off the excess marinade. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and oregano, and cook until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Give a quick toss and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
To assemble, combine the chicken with desired amount of Greek sauce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pile onto a piece of pita bread, fold like a taco, and devour.