Rotisserie Greek Chicken with homemade Tzatziki
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Category
Chicken
Cuisine
Greek
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours 5 minutes
Ingredients
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2 brown onions, finely chopped
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8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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½ cup finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
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2½ tablespoons sea salt
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1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
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1⅓ cup olive oil
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1 tablespoon paprika
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4 kilograms chicken thigh fillets, skinless, boneless
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Toasted flatbreads, to serve
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Salad mix, to serve (cucumber, lettuce, tomato, red onion)
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Lemon wedges, to serve
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2 cups grated cucumber (approx. 2 continental cucumbers)
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2 cups Greek yoghurt
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1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2 teaspoons sea salt
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½ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
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3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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6 tablespoons tablespoons (120mL) fresh lemon juice (approx. 3 lemons)
Homemade Tzatziki
Directions
In a large bowl combine the onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil, paprika and chicken thigh fillets. Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour, but up to 4 hours.
Prepare the barbecue for cooking using a rotisserie over indirect medium heat (190°C – 230°C), and pre-heat as directed, with the rotisserie shield and motor in place.
Slide one rotisserie fork onto the rod and tighten. Keeping the chicken thighs spread flat, carefully thread each thigh onto the rotisserie rod, piercing the fillets onto the tines. Alternate the position of each thigh to form a circular shaped roast as you layer more onto the rod. (See notes for tip 1). Once all the chicken thigh fillets are threaded on, slide the other fork onto the rod. Compact the chicken thigh fillets between the two forks (you may need to loosen the first fork), centre the roast and tighten the forks.
Place the rotisserie rod with the chicken onto the barbecue and turn on the motor. Cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes over indirect medium-low heat or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 74°C. (See notes for tip 2).
While the chicken is cooking, make the tzatziki. Squeeze the liquid out of the grated cucumbers, discarding the liquid. Combine the cucumber with the remaining tzatziki ingredients, adjusting seasonings to your personal taste. Cover and refrigerate until required.
Once the chicken has cooked, turn off the rotisserie motor and remove the rod (with tines and chicken still in place) from the barbecue with heatproof gloves and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Remove the tines, and shave the chicken from the rotisserie rod directly, or remove the chicken from the rod entirely and slice. Serve the chicken with toasted flatbreads, vegetables, lemon wedges and tzatziki.
Recipe Video
Recipe Note
Tip 1
It can be easier alternating the position of the chicken thigh fillets with the rod standing up vertically. Place a damp cloth on the bench, under the rod to prevent it from slipping.
Tip 2
If using a barbecue that requires a drip pan under the rotisserie set up, baste the chicken with the drippings during the cook.