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Home Chicken

Greek Chicken Gyros recipe

By:Nagi
Published:24 May '20Updated:11 Oct '22
1,155 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

The marinade for the chicken for this Greek Chicken Gyros recipe is SO GOOD that I use it even when I’m not making Gyros. Try it once, and I think you’ll be as obsessed with it as I am!

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Close up of Greek Chicken Gryos wrap - easy Gyros recipe!

Greek Chicken Gyros recipe

It’s been ages since I made this Greek Chicken Gyros. But the minute the chicken hit the grill, all I could think was “why don’t I make this more often??”

The smell is incredible. You can REALLY smell garlic and oregano. You know how sometimes you add herbs into things and you can’t really taste it? Or you can, but it’s a very subtle flavour. Definitely not the case with this!!

Cooked chicken for Greek Chicken Gryos fresh off the grill, ready to be served

What goes in Gryos

Here are the components that make up a Greek Chicken Gyros wrap:

  1. Marinated Greek Chicken

  2. Tzatziki

  3. Tomato Cucumber Salad

  4. Flatbread to roll up the gyros – or use smaller pita breads and just fold them over

Photo of the components of Greek Chicken Gryos - marinated Greek Chicken, tzatziki and tomato cucumber salad.

Greek Chicken Gyros Marinade ingredients

Here’s what you need for the marinade. There’s LOTS of garlic and dried oregano. Lots!!

What goes in Greek Chicken Gyros marinade

Yogurt is a magical marinade – it’s 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 only softens the chicken but also helps the marinade really infuse into the flesh.

Plus, the yoghurt makes this marinade “paste like” so it stays slathered on the chicken when you cook it (unlike many marinades that are thin). So you have extra flavour oomph!

Chicken being marinated in Greek Chicken Gyros marinade

In the video, you’ll 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 here’s what goes in the tzatziki.

What goes in Tzatziki for Greek Chicken Gryos

Greek Yogurt please! Or at least Greek style which is what I mostly use because it’s easily found at everyday supermarkets. 🙂


How to make Greek Chicken Gyros

And onto the making part!! There are a few components to Gryos – but the making part is a cinch!

How to make Greek Chicken Gryos

GREAT meal for groups – 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 ’em 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).

Greek Chicken Gryos feast, DIY wraps!

What to serve on the side

I serve Greek Chicken Gyros as a complete meal in itself because there’s 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 you’re making Gyros for a group, try this Greek Lemon Orzo Salad as well.

And though not specifically a Greek-style salad, this Cucumber Salad with Garlic & Herb Dressing 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 you’re really wanting to impress, make Gyros using your very own homemade flatbread wraps. They’re easy and they’re made without yeast!!

– 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!

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Close up of Greek Chicken Gryos

Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzaziki

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Marinade: 3 hrs
Total: 26 mins
Dinner, Entertaining, Grilling, Lunch
Greek
4.99 from 369 votes
Servings4 – 6
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. The marinade for the chicken is so sensational that I use it even when I'm not making Gyros! This is fantastic for entertaining because you can just lay it all out for guests to help themselves. The smell when the chicken is cooking is incredible – you can really smell the oregano and garlic!

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 – 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:

1. Tzatziki – makes a generous amount. But better to have too much than not enough!
2. Freezing – chicken can be frozen in marinade uncooked. Once thawed, massage well to remove curdling then cook per recipe!
Cooked chicken will keep for 4 days in the fridge.
3. Nutrition per serving assuming this serves 4 using pita bread.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 641.78cal (32%)Carbohydrates: 47.64g (16%)Protein: 64.69g (129%)Fat: 20.26g (31%)Saturated Fat: 4.58g (29%)Cholesterol: 242.16mg (81%)Sodium: 1297.31mg (56%)Potassium: 1456.56mg (42%)Fiber: 5.09g (21%)Sugar: 11.21g (12%)Vitamin A: 1455.3IU (29%)Vitamin C: 35.67mg (43%)Calcium: 232.57mg (23%)Iron: 4.09mg (23%)
Keywords: Greek Chicken, greek chicken gryos, gyros, yogurt marinade
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

First published June 2015. Long overdue for fresh new photos and a brand new video!!

Life of Dozer

WAY too close to the BBQ!

Dozer the golden retriever dog watching chicken being grilled

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1,155 Comments

  1. Allison says

    March 16, 2023 at 4:45 pm

    what can I replace lemon with in recipes n marinades?

    Reply
  2. Melissa Dietrich says

    March 15, 2023 at 4:48 am

    What the instructions for cooking in the oven? My son is making this for health class and its snowing out here so way too cold to grill. Thanks

    Reply
  3. Laura says

    February 24, 2023 at 7:11 am

    Hi nagi, can I make the tzatziki dip the day before to help me prep in advance? Thanks for all of your great recipes 🙂

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    February 22, 2023 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious. Family favourite in our household now.

    Reply
  5. Jane Hodge says

    January 17, 2023 at 9:36 pm

    Could you use lamb instead in South Australia we have lamb yiros’s and they are the bomb.

    Reply
  6. Rency says

    January 17, 2023 at 7:21 pm

    Another great recipe to add to my rotation. My husband gave it 2 thumbs up and a few “hmmm damn that’s good”
    I’ll also be using this chicken and tzatziki recipe with a side salad instead of wrap

    Reply
  7. Shani says

    January 16, 2023 at 3:40 pm

    Hi Nagi!
    Thank you so much for your beautiful recipes! Just a quick question, can you cook the chicken in the oven by any chance?

    Many thanks.
    Cheers, Shani

    Reply
  8. Catherine Giacca says

    January 9, 2023 at 11:22 am

    You nailed it again Nagi. This was fantastic and I can’t wait to make it when we have a larger gathering here. Fun food for sure and super tasty. The salad topping was amazing.

    Reply
  9. Steve says

    December 27, 2022 at 5:20 pm

    5 stars
    Oh wow and amazing!! That just makes home made so much better than take away (we had chips too, why not!).
    And some left over chicken for lunch the next day.
    You have to try this one!!
    Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  10. Krystal Peal says

    December 16, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    These are absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  11. Gabi says

    December 7, 2022 at 1:13 pm

    Thanks Nagi for this sensational recipe, all-time favourite chicken dish at our place. What’s the best way to reheat it if made in advance please?

    Reply
  12. Martin Q says

    December 6, 2022 at 9:36 pm

    5 stars
    One of the new family favourites. Got a very solid 9/10 from my teenage sons. So easy and very very tasty. Warmed the bread by grilling on the BBQ and the whole dish was amazing. Added freshly grated cheese to my second helping, but it’s an incredibly authentic tasting dish. Thank you

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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