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This Greek inspired Chicken Gyro is the easiest way to enjoy the flavor of a Greek Gyro at home! From the warm pitas, to the marinated Greek chicken and fresh and creamy tzatziki sauce, these easy Chicken Gyros are a flavorful, favorite chicken recipe.
Looking for more creative spins on chicken sandwiches? Don't miss Chicken Shawarma Wraps, Chicken Torta, and Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich.
Easy Chicken Gyros
There may be controversy on how you pronounce the word gyro, but there is no controversy on how good a simple gyro is. Tender meat, fresh tomatoes, warm pita, and creamy tzatziki sauce, create a masterpiece of contrasting textures, temperatures, and flavor.
Now traditionally Greek Gyros are prepared with lamb that is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. However, that is just not feasible for weeknight cooking at home. In fact, it is not feasible for most families ANY NIGHT of the week, as most of us do not have a vertical rotisserie.
However, that is no reason to not enjoy Greek Gyros at home! Greek Chicken makes a great substitute for the classic lamb. Making preparing gyros at home, simple and affordable. But most importantly, this recipe for Chicken Gyros is still 100% delicious!
Notes on Essential Ingredients
Chicken Gyros are made with grilled Greek Chicken, fresh tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki sauce served on pita bread. However, what sets this recipe apart is attention to the details. Use my guide for ingredients to pack in the most flavor, with minimal effort!
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Greek Chicken Marinade: This flavorful Greek marinade is made with plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. The yogurt and lemon juice will work together to break the chicken down, allowing it to become incredibly tender.
- Tomatoes + Onions: I prefer using red onions for the gyro topping, but feel free to use sweet or yellow onions if that is what you have on hand. As for the tomatoes, use any tomato you like, but be sure to remove the seeds from the tomatoes, so they don't water down the gyro.
- Pita Bread: Look for a pita wrap, not pita pockets. Gyros are best wrapped around pita, not stuffed into the pocket of pita bread.
- Tzatziki Sauce: I opt to use my Homemade Tzatziki Sauce because it is super easy to make, but you can opt for a store-bought brand instead.
How to Make Chicken Gyros
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Marinate Chicken
In order to impart Greek flavors into the chicken to replicate the flavors you know and love in classic gyros, it is crucial to marinate the chicken, using my recipe for Greek Chicken Marinade. It is best to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 4 hours or the chicken will become mushy.
Grill Chicken
Whether you choose to grill your chicken on the grill or using a grill pan on the stove, adding a nice sear to the marinated chicken will provide texture and flavor to the gyro itself.
Rest the Chicken Before Slicing
Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. That rest time will help keep the chicken super juicy and tender. After the chicken has rested, slice the chicken into thin strips, so that it will fit into the pita.
Prepare Toppings
Take a few minutes to warm the pita bread, toss the tomato and onion mixture together, and wash and top lettuce for the Chicken Gyros while the chicken is grilling or resting.
Assemble Chicken Gyros
Gyros are best assembled immediately prior to serving, to keep the pita bread from becoming soggy and for the warm pita and chicken to contrast to the cool tomatoes and Tzatziki sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Gyros make a delicious, wholesome meal any night of the week. This hearty Greek wrap if filling on its own, but can also be paired with a side for a filling family dinner.
- Serve Chicken Gyros with a side of Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, Mediterranean Couscous or Greek Quinoa Salad, for a Greek-inspired dinner.
- Serve a side of Instant Pot Hummus on the side of the Gyro with some fresh veggies and additional pita for dipping.
- For a more kid-friendly option, serve these Chicken Gyros with Baked Sweet Potato Fries or Homemade Oven Fries.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Honey Lime Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken Piccata
- Orange Chicken
- Baked Chicken Katsu
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Chicken Gyro Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
For the Tomatoes and Onions
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 3-4 ripe roma tomatoes, diced and seeded
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Chicken Gyros
- Tzatziki Sauce
- 6-8 green leaf lettuce leaves
- 6-8 pita bread
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice.
- Place 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a large shallow bowl or freezer bag, and pour the marinade over the chicken. Submerge the chicken breasts into the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. DO NOT MARINATE LONGER THAN 4 HOURS!
- After the chicken is marinated, brush a grill or grill pan with a bit of olive oil and preheat to medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Place the marinated chicken on the grill or grill pan and grill the chicken until it reaches 165℉/74℃, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes. After resting, slice the chicken into thin strips.
- While the chicken is resting, mix together 3-4 ripe roma tomatoes (seeded and diced), 1 small red onion (minced), 1 tablespoon minced parsley , 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Warm pita bread in a dry skillet or microwave for 15-30 seconds per side, until soft and pliable.
- Top each pita bread with a piece of lettuce, followed by about ¼-⅓ cup sliced chicken on the center of each pita. Top with about ¼ cup of the tomato and onion mixture and then dollop generously with Tzatziki sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2017 but updated in 2022 with new photos and a new video.
Hi Kristen. Would it be possible to Cook the chicken in the instantpot instead? I've never been one to be able to get the chicken "just right" with baking or grilling (sigh, lol). If the IP would work, can you send the recommendations (pressure, cooking time, on a trivet or not. Etc?) Thank you!.
Hi Sheena! Yes, you can cook the marinated chicken in the Instant Pot. To do so, add 1.5 cups chicken stock to the inner pot and add a rack to the inner pot. Place the marinated chicken, removing most of the marinade, to the trivet. Close and lock the lid. Set the Instant Pot to the Manual/Pressure Cook setting and set the timer to 8 minutes on high pressure. Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Remove the lid from the instant pot, remove the chicken, and shred or dice the chicken. If desiring crispy chicken, heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes until crispy and browned.
These chicken gyros had so much flavor! Will definitely be making again!
I love hearing that you enjoyed Erin!
These gyros are one of our family's favorite dinners! Even my kids love them (I just have to leave the veggies off theirs 😉 )
LOL! I understand that!
Yummy! This chicken gyro was so delicious and very tasty for lunch today! We absolutely loved how this turned out and full of flavor! Can’t wait to make this again!
I love hearing that Beth! Thanks so much for sharing!
So easy to make and tasted amazingly flavorful and easy to make! Highly recommended! Will surely make this again!
Thank you for sharing!