Regarding the chicken thighs, it is essential to wash and pat them dry. This step will ensure that the flavors are better absorbed. Rub the chicken thighs with the gyros spice on both sides, making sure to coat them evenly. If done correctly, the spice's flavor will penetrate deeply into the meat, and the final result will be a dish with a remarkable taste. Take a heaping spoonful of the prepared filling and place it inside each thigh. Cover the filling with half of the chicken thigh, thus restoring the original shape and secure with toothpicks.
For cooking, transfer the thighs to a baking dish greased with olive oil, but if you want an extra flavor, place them on a bed of sliced potatoes. Add to the dish the water from the mortar where you dissolved the leftover spices and the white wine, pouring them carefully around the edge of the dish to avoid removing the flavorful crust from the thighs. Decorate the dish with fresh aromatic leaves such as mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano, or parsley, and sprinkle coarsely chopped garlic among the thighs. Finally, squeeze a lemon over everything, giving the dish a note of freshness.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and let everything marinate for at least an hour at room temperature, but ideally, leave it in the fridge for 3-4 hours. It is important to take the dish out of the fridge one hour before putting it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and place the dish in the oven for about an hour. After the time has passed, remove the foil and let the thighs brown nicely, basting them frequently with the sauce from the dish. Before serving, remove the toothpicks for an elegant presentation. Serve the chicken thighs rustic-style, alongside the sauce from the dish and, if you chose to use them, the baked potatoes sprinkled with fresh and aromatic herbs. This recipe will turn any meal into a feast of flavors!
Ingredients
For the filling: -feta / cheese, cut into small cubes -red onion, finely chopped -red hot pepper and/or red bell pepper (if you don't want it so spicy), diced, to taste -black/green olives, sliced -herbs: mint, thyme, marjoram -fresh, finely chopped / dried For the gyros seasoning: -1 handful of dried onion flakes or 1 medium onion, finely chopped -1 teaspoon sea salt -1 teaspoon sweet paprika -½ teaspoon hot paprika / cayenne pepper or to taste -dried oregano, to taste -dried rosemary, to taste -1 teaspoon ground cumin -1 teaspoon ground coriander -1 teaspoon black pepper -3 cloves of garlic, crushed or 1 tablespoon granulated garlic -1 bay leaf, finely chopped -fresh herbs, to taste and preference: fresh mint, marjoram, thyme (in emergencies, dried can also be used) For the chicken thighs: -6-8 upper chicken thighs, boneless -homemade gyros seasoning -olive oil -½ cup dry, lightly fragrant white wine of good quality; Greek is recommended -aromatic leaves (mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano, parsley), fresh, to preference -3-5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped -juice of 1 lemon -potatoes, cut into larger slices (optional)