They’re fantastic for entertaining, yet simple enough for weeknight dinners. My whole family adores loading up their own gyros with their favorite toppings and digging in. These chicken gyros are incredibly flavorful and succulent, and the secret lies in the marinade – I’ll share the recipe with you! I just love Greek food in all its forms. From simple Souvlaki to the elaborate and iconic Moussaka, those flavors are all just too good. Now everyone loves a good gyro. They’re fun and delicious handheld treats, kind of like tacos. Traditionally, gyros are made by slicing from a cone of stacked meat that’s cooked on a vertical rotisserie. If you’re like us, you don’t have one of these gadgets in your kitchen. With our easy recipe, you can still enjoy a mighty tasty pita wrap without any fuss!
Ingredients Needed
Boneless skinless chicken thighs – You can use breast in their place, but I prefer the tenderness and juiciness of thighs. Yogurt – Adds creaminess to the marinade and helps tenderize the chicken. Extra virgin olive oil Lemon juice – Gives a great tang. Red wine vinegar Garlic – Gotta have it. Herbs and spices – Dried oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander powder, salt, pepper and red chili flakes. To serve – Pita bread, tzatziki, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion and feta cheese.
How to Make Chicken Gyros
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, I combine yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, herbs, and spices. Then, I add the chicken and toss it well to coat. I like to marinate it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Personally, I like to start in the morning and let it marinate all day
- Cook the chicken: I remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Then, I heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, I place the chicken thighs in the skillet and cook them undisturbed for 6-7 minutes per side, or until they are cooked through and lightly browned. After cooking, I transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into strips.
- Assemble gyros: To prepare the pitas, I briefly warm them on both sides on a hot skillet or in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then, in each individual pita, I add a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce, followed by loading it up with the chicken strips, fresh veggies, and crumbled feta cheese. Enjoy!
Alpana’s Tips
Chicken Selection – While I recommend thighs due to their juiciness, you can also use chicken breasts. Just be mindful not to overcook them, or they might turn out dry. Marination Time – The longer the marination, the better! If possible, I highly recommend letting your chicken marinate all day, or even overnight. This allows the flavors to deeply penetrate the chicken, resulting in incredibly flavorful gyros that everyone will love. Skillet Choice – I prefer using a cast iron skillet for that perfect sear on my chicken. If you don’t have one, a non-stick skillet works as well. Tzatziki – While you can certainly use store bought tzatziki, I recommend making it from scratch. Try my easy Tzatziki Recipe. Warm Pitas – Don’t skip warming the pitas. This makes them soft and pliable, enhancing the overall gyro experience.
Variations
Grill the chicken: If that barbecue grill is beckoning, you can certainly grill the chicken. Preheat to 425-450°F, then cook 8-10 minutes per side. Swap the protein: I sometimes use the same recipe with beef, lamb or shrimp. Note that shrimp should not be marinated for more than 30 minutes. Dairy free: If dairy doesn’t agree with you, use our Greek Chicken Marinade, which does not use yogurt. Swap the tzatziki with Hummus, Melizanosalata or Baba Ganoush. Make it spicy: Add a spoonful of Harissa Paste into the marinade to give it some kick. You could also use Tyrokafteri in place of the tzatziki, it’s a spicy feta cheese dip. Use other veggies: While this recipe uses traditional gyro fillings, other veggies can easily go here. Some of my top picks are roasted red peppers, roasted eggplant or Grilled Zucchini. Skip the pita: You can use the chicken in a variety of ways. Make a bowl meal by topping rice or other grains with the chicken and other toppings. Watching carbs? Try chicken gyro lettuce wraps.
The beauty of gyros lies in their versatility. Experiment, customize, and most importantly, savor every bite!
Suggested Sides
Chicken gyros are a well rounded meal all by themselves. That being said, something on the side is nice, especially if entertaining. The obvious choice is a Greek Salad. It shares many of the same ingredients, but still goes so well there. Other salad options include Tabbouleh, Spanish Pipirrana, or Balela Salad. You can make a great three course Mediterranean feast by starting with Falafel, following that with Avgolemono Soup, then presenting your gyro platter. Whip up these easy chicken gyros this week, and savor the flavor of tender chicken, crisp veggies, and creamy tzatziki sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, my gyro dish is sure to become a weekday favorite! Pin or bookmark this great recipe so you always know where to find it. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new easy recipes for you!
Chicken Gyros, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great Greek recipes!Shrimp SaganakiLamb KleftikoFasolada SoupKeftedes (Greek Meatballs)Steak GyrosPsari PlakiSoutzoukakia
