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!
Gyros marinade is made with yoghurt, lemon, garlic and oregano – classic Greek ingredients that infuses the chicken with flavour AND tenderises it. The smell when this is cooking is outrageous!
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!!
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 – or use smaller pita breads and just fold them over
Greek Chicken Gyros Marinade ingredients
Here’s what you need for the marinade. There’s LOTS of garlic and dried oregano. Lots!!
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!
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.
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!
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).
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
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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 - 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!
Can I bake the chicken instead?
I’ve never had a gyro in my life (nor even tzatziki), but I made this recipe today, as written, because it just looked so delicious in the photo, I knew it HAD to be good. And, boy, was it! My husband had two gyros. So delish, it will definitely go on the regular rotation. Only thing I will do differently next time is make my own flatbread (I used store bought – which was good, but homemade has to be better).
My go to recipe for some grilled chicken, so easy and yummy.
Nagi,
This recipe was the Bomb! It was spot on. My super picky husband admitted that put side by side to an A-one resto…no one could tell which was mine to the professional chef.
Thanks for the brownie points I scored.
Looking forward to making lots more of your recipes, so user friendly…thanks again.
What happens if you marinate for 48 hrs?
Hi Sandy, you don’t want to marinate longer than 24 hours here or it will change the texture of the meat, the yogurt acts as a tenderiser here. N x
Everyone in my house of picky eaters loved this recipe! While my youngest child refused to eat the salad, they did gobble down the chicken and tzatziki and requested/demanded that I make this again soon. I love that I can make up the marinade and freeze with the raw chicken, Makes for super easy meal planning.
Can you use chicken breast?
Not for this one Linda, I find they dry out too much! N x
I prefer to use chopped up chicken breast – chunks or sliced help infuse more marinade and seeing as only cooking smaller bits it doesn’t dry it out as if left whole breasts for cooking 🥰💚🥰💚🥰
I used chicken breasts and this came out great. The chicken was not dry at all. Maybe grilling it would dry it out, but cooking on the stove did not. Everyone loved it in my house. Can’t wait to make it again. 😊
This was awesome ! Thank you Nagi !
I made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! My family usually will only eat chicken breast, but I think the thighs were really good. My only issue was the amount of salad that remained. I used full size cucumbers next time I’ll try with baby cucumbers. Over all this is a really super easy, quick and delicious recipe. Another A++ recipe Nagi!!!!
Hi Nagi – is the Nutrition Information included per serve or per default 4 serves ?
Yes this is per serve assuming 4 serves. N x
We really liked this recipe and will be making it again soon! Thanks
Will this work with Full Fat natural yoghurt? Obviously it’s not quite as thick as Greek but I have it on hand so don’t want to buy unnecessary extras if it can be used 😊
Yes 100% Vanessa!! N x
So delicious and I’m not a gyro fan, but we loved it and is now in the permanent dinner rotation!
Another winner in my house! Again, the menfolk mopped it up and didn’t complain about the veggies. I’m so glad I came across your website!
Succulent and super delicious! Big winner with the whole family. Charred it on a grill pan then finished in the air fryer to cook all the way through.
I made this last Sunday.
My husband said,” these are the best Gyros I have ever had. They are delicious.”
My verdict : OUTSTANDING!!
Thank you !
Absolutely delicious!!! Your recipes are truly amazing and always a hit with the family!
Wow! That was just downright great! The marinade was perfect for a gyro recipe. This is a definite keeper!
I have made this 4 times now since that glorious day I googled “chicken thigh recipes” and landed on your site. So easy. So delicious. In fact I hsve cooked a few of your recipes and love them all!
It’s like going to a Greek restaurant! This recipe is a keeper!