The marinade for the chicken for this Greek Chicken Gyros recipe isย SO GOOD that I use it even when Iโm not making Gyros. Try it once, and I think youโll be as obsessed with it as I am!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook โDinnerโ!
Greek Chicken Gyros recipe
Itโs been ages since I made this Greek Chicken Gyros. But the minute the chicken hit the grill, all I could think was โwhy donโt I make this more often??โ
The smell is incredible. You can REALLY smell garlic and oregano. You know how sometimes you add herbs into things and you canโt really taste it? Or you can, but itโs a very subtle flavour. Definitely not the case with this!!
What goes in Gryos
Here are the components that make up a Greek Chicken Gyros wrap:
Marinated Greek Chicken
Tzatziki
Tomato Cucumber Salad
Flatbread to roll up the gyros โ or use smaller pita breads and just fold them over
Greek Chicken Gyros Marinade ingredients
Hereโs what you need for the marinade. Thereโs LOTS of garlic and dried oregano. Lots!!
Yogurt is a magical marinade โ itโs a terrific flavour carrier and tenderises the chicken!
Yogurt is the secret ingredient in this recipe. The acid in the yoghurt breaks down the fibres so it not onlyย softens the chicken but also helps the marinade really infuse into the flesh.
Plus, the yoghurt makes this marinade โpaste likeโ so it stays slathered on the chicken when you cook it (unlike many marinades that are thin). So you have extra flavour oomph!
In the video, youโll see that I cook this indoors on a grill pan. But during the warmer months, this is a BBQ favourite!
What goes in Tzatziki for Greek Gyros
And hereโs what goes in the tzatziki.
Greek Yogurt please! Or at least Greekย style which is what I mostly use because itโs easily found at everyday supermarkets. ๐
How to make Greek Chicken Gyros
And onto the making part!! There are a few components to Gryos โ but the making part is a cinch!
GREAT meal for groups โ prepare ahead, make loads!
This Greek Chicken Gyros is a really fab recipe for entertaining. Because it is really fast to prepare and the men can BBQ while the girls sip wine and chatter. (Joke joke JOKE!!!)
Then you can just lay everything out on the table. Why should you slave away, rolling up a gyros for everyone? Make โem do it themselves!
(Few more of my favourite large format foods, DIY style, include: Chicken or Beef / Lamb Doner kebabs, Chicken Shawarma and Lamb Shawarma, Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Bowls).
What to serve on the side
I serve Greek Chicken Gyros as a complete meal in itself because thereโs a decent amount of tomato and cucumber used to stuff inside.
If you wanted to boost the fresh vegetables, a big fat juicy Greek Salad would be terrifically on theme! For something more substantial, especially if youโre making Gyros for a group, try this Greek Lemon Orzo Saladย as well.
And though not specifically a Greek-style salad, this Cucumber Salad with Garlic & Herb Dressingย OR this Creamy Cucumber Salad with Lemon Yogurt Dressing would go down a treat with this Gyros. I also offer a Greek take on my recipe for Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts (see Customisations ideas section) that would be a great partner to the Gyros.
If youโre really wanting to impress, make Gyros using your very own homemade flatbread wraps. Theyโreย easy and theyโre madeย without yeast!!
โ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzaziki
Ingredients
- 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets , boneless skinless
Marinade
- 3 large garlic cloves , minced (~ 3 tsp)
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp Greek yogurt , preferably full fat
- 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Tzatziki
- 2 cucumbers (to make about 1/2 โ 3/4 cup grated cucumber after squeezing out juice)
- 1 1/4 cups Greek yoghurt , preferably full fat
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or more if you want richer)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Salad
- 3 tomatoes , desseeded and diced
- 3 cucumbers , diced
- 1/2 red spanish onion , peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves (optional)
- Salt and pepper
To Serve
- 4 to 6 pita breads or flat breads
Instructions
- Place the Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and massage to mix. Add the chicken into the ziplock bag and massage to cover all the chicken in the Marinade. Marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 hours, ideally 12 hours and no longer than 24 hours.
Make the Tzatziki
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape the watery seeds out. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater. Then wrap in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
- Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavours to meld.
Salad
- Combine ingredients in a bowl.
Cook Chicken
- Brush the outdoor grill with oil, then preheat on medium high. Or heat 1 tbsp of oil in a fry pan over medium high heat.
- Remove chicken from Marinade. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through (cooking time depends on size of chicken).
- Remove the chicken from the grill / fry pan onto a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Assemble Gyros
- If your chicken thighs are large, you may need to cut them. Mine were small.
- Get a pita bread or flatbread (preferably warmed) and place it on a piece of parchment (baking) paper (or you could use foil). Place some Salad down the middle of the bread, then top with chicken and Tzatziki.
- Roll the wrap up, enclosing it with the parchment paper. Twist the end with the excess parchment paper to secure it and cut if desired.
- I prefer to lay everything out on a table and let everyone help themselves.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
First published June 2015. Long overdue for fresh new photos and a brand new video!!
Life of Dozer
WAY too close to the BBQ!
Iโm new to your blog and LOVE it! I have 3 hungry boys and am, by not means, a cook. This was absolutely a hit! And easy to make. Thank you!
Hands down one of the tastiest recipes Iโve made from any website! I usually make once a week. I do use chicken breast and grill it.. I always make extra chicken and make chicken Cesar salads the next day. The chicken is even good on its own! My kids love it as well! Thank you!!
Did you use the recipe exactly as is with chicken breast?
I plan to use chicken breasts also as we are a white meat family. Did you cut the breasts into strips before marinating and how long in the oven? TIA
I just realized you said to not marinate more than 24 hoursโฆ is it a huge issue if it goes for 2 hours past (26 total hours)
Nope thatโs fine John! Marinating times are usually just a guide ๐ N x
Fantastic! Thank you
We love the chicken gyro recipe. Question. Can I use rotisserie chicken? I was thinking of marinating it to infuse the flavor, then a quick saute to heat it up and hopefully carmalize without over cooking the chicken. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Hi Murray, using chicken already cooked means the flesh wonโt soak up the marinade as well โ frying again will also dry it out unfortunately. N x
PS I forgot the 5 stars!!
Is there any risk to adding too much yogurt to the marinade on accident? My conversion calculation failed me ๐
Omg โ so, so delicious! And easy!! Itโs going to be a new family favourite! Thank you, you really should have youโre own cooking show!!
Can I make this using chicken breasts rather than the thighs?
Hi Charmaine, thighs are better here as they stay juicy without drying out ๐ N x
Can you make this in the oven and get the same results ?
I just made this and itโs sooooo yummmylicious!!! Thank you!
Hi Nagiโฆloving your recipes and the way you set them out/break them downโฆand of course the way they taste. Will this work with chicken breasts suitably cut into strips or will they be too dry??
I bought a bunch of bone in thighs. Could I use them and debone after grilling? They were so cheap and I need to use to soon to free up freezer space. Thanks. Looks delicious!
Hi Sandi, easier to debone prior to cooking here ๐ N x
I swear you are a genius, this is so ridiculously delicious and easy
I havenโt tried it yet, but it looks wonderful. I have to ask, is the recipe missing โonionsโ??? Every Gyro Iโve had has had onions!
Thanks.
Hi Ray โ I use Spanish onions in the wraps โ itโs listed there in the ingredients ๐ N x
What kind of tomatoes do you use?
Hi Lauren โ any will be fine here! N x
What brand of pita/flatbread is used in your recipe? Looks delish!
Hi Susan, you can make your own! Try my no yeast flatbread here: https://hairloss-solved.info/easy-soft-flatbread-yeast/%3C/a%3E N x
Iโm not sure whatโs better โ Chicken Shwarma or thisโฆ Iโve made both and theyโre equally awesome! I make this as per the recipe, marinate for 24 hours and cook on the BBQ. The smell as itโs cooking is amazing. Since discovering Nagiโs recipes, I purchase chicken thighs in bulk!
Oh they are both great arenโt they Nicole โ tough choice!!! N x
The best chicken gyros recipe I have come across!!!! The chicken was to die for!!! I left it in the pan to cook on a high heat until I got that gorgeous golden brown colour. Will definitely make it again!
This is amazing but was wondering can you cook the chicken in the oven and get the effect?
So spot-on, delicious and easy to make that I ended up making it twice this week LOL !! First round in a wrap with leftovers going in salad the next day.
Then made it again on the weekend to great reviews.
Just to sayโฆwe have a thriving Greek community in my fair city (Montreal, QC., Canada) hence an abundance of Greek restaurants to compare your recipe to. Yours wins โ hands down!!
This dish is my favourite!!๐
It always turns out amazing!
I also find keeping the flatbreads (if using) in a dish covered with foil and a tea towel makes them soft and easy to roll.๐