Delicious Chicken Gyros Recipe
The Greek marinade for these chicken gyros is phenomenal and SO GOOD!
Juicy succulent Chicken thighs packed with flavor and super tasty with every bite. Packed in a warm pita bread that’s filled with romaine lettuce, sliced red onion and tomatoes served with a tasty Tzatziki Sauce drizzled on top. These delicious and fulfilling chicken gyro sandwiches are a for-sure recipe keeper! So be sure to store this recipe & keep it in your archives!
One of my favorite sandwiches to have back home when I’m in Miami, is the chicken gyro or pita sandwich from the fast-food spot “Miami Grill”. They serve a really good chicken pita sandwich, and their wings are pretty banging too! But sense I’m a long way from home- sometimes I find myself recreating my favorite foods and meals. This mouthwatering yummy chicken gyro is one of them, & what makes it even better is that this is the real deal (homemade) with all the fixings.
The Greek marinade for this recipe is seasoned to perfection. This marinade makes the chicken thighs so flavorful and delicious. Your chicken will be packed to the roof with such finger licking taste in every bite! Seasoned with spices such as fresh oregano, cumin, seasoned black pepper, pink salt, and I added in a little Chef Paul’s poultry seasoning to take it up a notch. Add in some Freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic cloves, diced shallot and olive oil mixed into some Greek yogurt makes this gyro marinade the absolute best.
For this recipe, I recommend that you allow the chicken to marinate for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour. Two hours would be even better, but if you’re short on time 45 minutes will do and your chicken will be just as flavorful. Feel free to use chicken thighs or chicken breast. I used chicken thighs and I made sure to trim the fat off. Next, I did poke a few holes in the chicken thighs with a fork- so they can soak up the marinade but that’s completely optional. So, while the chicken is marinating, you can prepare the Tzatziki Sauce. Once you make the sauce, store it in the fridge and allow it to meld for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
Now if you’re not a fan of tzatziki sauce you can serve the chicken gyros with a GOOD tasting Honey Mustard sauce- I say this because one of my friends aren’t a fan of tzatziki sauce. So, I accommodate her by serving hers with honey mustard and she’s happy! She Doesn’t feel left out when I’m preparing gyros for everyone. Plus, it’s a great tzatziki sauce substitute to serve for the kiddos that may be picky eaters.
Once the chicken is done marinating, sauté the chicken in a skillet or cast-iron pan over medium high heat. Allow the chicken to fully cook & flip halfway through cooking time. Note: The cooking time will vary, and properly cooked chicken should reach 165° F (Use a thermometer to check for doneness). You can cook the chicken on the grill or in the oven as well. Once the chicken is done, let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into smaller slices. In the meantime, you can warm up the pita bread which is completely optional. But I warm them up for a few seconds and they end up being soft and toasty. Next, I pack the warm pita bread with fresh romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion, & the sliced chicken. Drizzle the tzatziki sauce on top and serve immediately!
These chicken gyros are packed with flavor and are so yummy!
You can pair these delicious chicken gyros with French fries!
Easy Chicken Gyros Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Ibs Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast (Trim off the fat)
- 4 to 6 Pita Breads
Chicken marinade:
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Lemon zest
- 2 to 3 Tbsps Greek Yogurt
- Fresh Lemon juice (1 Lemon)
- 2 to 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/2 Small Shallot Minced
- 1/2 tsp Pink Salt
- 1 tsp Seasoned Black pepper
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Chef Paul’s poultry seasoning Substitute: Dash Salt-Free Chicken Grilling Blend Seasoning
- 1/2 Tsp Oregano
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin
***Marinate the chicken for 45 minutes to 1 hour***
Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
- 1/2 Lemon Freshly squeezed or juiced
- 1 Finely Grated Cucumber
- 1/4 tsp Pink Salt Or for taste
- 1/2 tsp Seasoned Black Pepper or for taste
- 2 to 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Dill chopped
- 1/8 tsp White Vinegar Optional
Note: ***If you’re not a fan of Tzatziki Sauce- you can pair your chicken gyros with a GOOD tasting honey mustard. (It’s a good option if you have kids who are picky eaters)
Gyro Toppings:
- Romaine Lettuce
- Sliced Tomato
- Sliced Onion
Instructions
Tzatziki Sauce:
- In a bowl, add a thick paper towel or cheese cloth inside. Once the cucumber has been cleaned, use a grater to finely grate the cucumber into the bowl.
- Squeeze any excess juice or liquid from the grated cucumber and set aside.
- In a separate bowl add the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, pink salt/black pepper, vinegar, minced garlic, and fresh chopped dill. Mix everything together until well blended.
- Cover with a lid & store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Note: Allow the sauce to rest/meld for at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
- Tip: If you’re not a fan of Tzatziki Sauce, you can use a GOOD tasting honey mustard for your chicken gyros. Completely optional.
Chicken Gyros:
- Prep the chicken beforehand: Remove or trim any excess fat off the chicken. Place the prepped chicken in a large container & set aside.
- For the marinade: In a bowl add the olive oil, greek yogurt, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, diced garlic, diced shallot, & dry seasonings. Mix everything together until well blended.
- Add the marinade to the chicken and mix until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade mixture.
- Cover the chicken and place in the fridge to marinate for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- To prevent sticking- Drizzle a small amount of olive oil (or cooking spray) in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan.
- Allow the chicken to fully cook until golden brown, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
- Note: The cooking time will vary, and properly cooked chicken should reach 165° F. Use a thermometer to check for doneness.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove from the skillet.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting into smaller slices. In the meantime, you can warm up the pita breads.
- Optional: Warm up the pita bread stovetop, microwave, or in the oven.
- I just sprayed a tiny amount of cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat and allowed the bread to toast for 6 to 10 seconds (flip over halfway through cooking time). The bread should feel warm and soft, not hot.
Plating the Chicken Gyros:
- Place the pita bread on top of some aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Add the fresh romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, and sliced red onion on top of the pita bread.
- Spoon the cooked / sliced chicken thighs or chicken breast on top.
- Drizzle some of the Tzatziki Sauce over the chicken gyros.
- Roll the wrap up, enclosing it with the aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Serve immediately! You can pair these chicken gyros with a side of fresh French fries. Enjoy!
