You know what's better than warmed Chicken Gyros slathered with tzatziki sauce, crunchy cucumbers, fresh tomatoes and some herbs.... NOTHING! Seasoned chicken that's grilled to perfection and wrapped up in a warm pita is the epitome of happiness in my book and we all deserve that in our lives.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Pre-Poppy Thomas and I spent a summer in Greece and instead of eating ANYTHING fancy for lunch, we made it our priority to try every street food vendor we could find. The chicken gyros reign supreme over there and I will forever be able to remember what it's like to get a piping hot pita stuffed with perfectly cooked chicken, creamy cooling tzatziki and fresh veggies. You can even add some hummus or feta on top if you're feeling a bit extra and you're in business.
It's the perfect lunch on the go so you can go grab a spot on the steps in a local neighborhood and people watch! It's my dream lunch and I'd choose chicken gyros over a fancy coursed lunch any day of the week!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lemons
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Dried Oregano
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Pita Bread
- Parsley
- Dill
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Shredded Romaine
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Gyros
Step 1: In a large zip-top bag, combine the lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano and red-pepper flakes.
Step 2: Add the chicken, zip the top of the bag and give it a quick shake to combine. Refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
Step 3: Preheat a cast iron to medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill each chicken thigh for 4-5 minutes on each side until done. Remove and set aside to rest.
Step 4: Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips and transfer back into the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until just slightly crispy around the edges.
Step 5: Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and toss to combine with the parsley, dill, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
Step 6: Place a big dollop of tzatziki on the pita, followed by a handful of shredded lettuce and the chicken on top. Fold the pita up and wrap with parchment to hold it together.
How to Store Chicken Gyros
You should assembles as much filling and pitas as you are using at the time of eating. For leftovers, store chicken, tzatziki and pitas separately and cut veggies fresh when assembling.
How to Freeze Chicken Gyros
You can freeze pitas and chicken in the freezer and have them on hand if you want to prepare these.
Tips & Tricks
There's nothing better than well marinated chicken and a fresh pita so if you have the ability to get fresh pita - do it! And really take the time to marinate the chicken (overnight if you can). You can also add hummus!
FAQs
What's in Chicken Gyros?
Chicken gyros typically contain marinated and seasoned grilled chicken strips wrapped in a warm pita bread. It is often garnished with various toppings such as tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and sometimes feta cheese.
Where are Chicken Gyros from?
Greece!
What to serve with chicken gyros?
You can serve extra tzatziki sauce on the side and a Greek salad. But a gyro is really a whole meal in itself. You don't need anything on the side if you don't want to make more.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Chicken Gyros
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 lemons juiced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
For the Pitas
- 6 whole pita bread
- 2 tablespoon Chopped Parsley
- ½ cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
- ½ cup Cucumbers cubed
- 1 recipe Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup Shredded Romaine lettuce
Instructions
- In a large zip-top bag, combine the lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano and red-pepper flakes. Add the chicken, zip the top of the bag and give it a quick shake to combine. Refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
- Pre-heat a cast iron to medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill each chicken thigh for 4-5 minutes on each side until done. Remove and set aside to rest.
- Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips and transfer back into the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until just slightly crispy around the edges.
- Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and toss to combine with the parsley, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Place the chicken in the middle of a pita and top with the assorted toppings. Fold the pita up and wrap with parchment to hold it together.
Absolutely wonderful! I’m very rural and have to drive along way to get a gyro so I decided to make my own but couldn’t find lamb either… I found this recipe and honestly I loved it with chicken! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Delicious! I grilled the chicken. This is going to be my go to marinade for chicken.
Fantastic and easy! I used boneless skinless chicken breast and subbed marjoram for oregano and it tasted great. I use marjoram in a lamb/beef gyros recipe and thought it would be OK. It was. Family loved it too!
Delicious!! Even my 2 year old loved it! Made the tzatziki sauce too! Must have!
Gaby does it again! Absolutely delicious, the chicken is juicy, flavorful, tender and crispy! I made the homemade tzatziki on the side and that was great as well. The meal is so fresh it felt like it was from a nice restaurant.
If you prep a little ahead of time this is definitely a quick week night meal! My husband said this should be called marry me chicken!
Made this for the family and we really liked it. This one will go into the regular rotation.
really like your gyros recipe having tried it, my little family was delighted
Very simple recipe. Thought it seemed kind of boring before I made it but the marinade is to die for.
Delicious! Fam raved about it. Taste like a restaurant! Substituted breast for thighs because that is what si had in fridge. Can’t wait to make it for my extended family when they visit in May.
Does’t the lemon cook the chicken while it is marinating?
Sounds & looks yummy!! Can I grill the chicken instead?
absolutely
This hand held gyro is so yummy. I loved the chicken, that marinade is Everything. Then marry it with the fresh , tomato and cucumber, tzatziki and hummus. I am making this Sunday, Gaby for the Super Bowl win!!