Mar 17, 2011
FANTASTIC!!! A little time consuming to make, but 100+++% worth the effort involved. If you prep these in stages, they're much more manageable to make. I quickly threw together my marinade / tzatziki sauce early this afternoon, so all I had to do at dinnertime was grill my chicken (on my indoor reversible grill). To all of you wanting to give this a try, I have a few tips to share. First, you MUST use balsamic vinaigrette (found in the salad dressings aisle of your grocer), DO NOT use straight-up balsamic vinegar! Vinaigrette contains spices & EVOO to help tame the tartness of the vinegar. Second, Greek yogurt is a FAR superior choice for this cucumber sauce. Tzatziki should be thick, not thin or watery. Unless you strain your yogurt, you will end up w/ runny sauce. Greek yogurt has already been strained. Yes, it's more expensive, but it's also more convenient. Finally, to ensure your cucumbers properly "sweat," toss them w/ salt (salt draws OUT water), & then do what reviewer MOLLE888 did - place in a colander / sieve set over a bowl w/ another bowl on top. Put a heavy can in the bowl to add some pressure & watch the liquid seep to the bottom! You will have PERFECT tzatziki every time (promise!). Served w/ red onion, tomatoes & iceberg lettuce (no pepperoncini or olives for us), these are a spot on copycat of our favorite local chain's Athenian chicken pitas! Seasoned curly fries completed our meal. Thanks for sharing, Chris! :-)
—Chef Mickey (aka Mickey)
