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”!
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
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 – 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!
Very tasty, and easy to make. Impressive. I’d decided to make your naan, then realized I had too much happening on the stovetop. (It wasn’t a good day to barbecue.) So, I baked the chicken thigh fillets on a rack in a 425 degree oven. Took about 25-30 minutes for them to get to 165. Delicious!
Perfect Chris!
I have never commented or rated a recipe but Im just so excited by how this turned out I wanted to make sure I gave it 5 stars! Thanks!
That’s awesome Amelia, thanks so much!
I was so excited I forgot to rate 🙄😂
Oh wow. This one’s a keeper!!. I made extra (for leftovers) but it got devoured! I’ll be tripling the recipe next time! 😂
Thanks Nagi!
Woah that’s great!
I am gonna make it soon but I have little confusion as I am a teenager novice to cooking. When you say ” I don’t recommend freezing the chicken in the marinade ” , do you mean I should not marinate the chicken in refrigerator but keep it outside at room temperature before grilling ? Please clarify .
You should always marinade it in the refrigerator if your going to be marinading it for longer than 20 mins. She means don’t put the chicken in the marinade and freeze it for cooking at a later date.
My whole family loved these gyros! That marinade is amazing on the chicken! Luckily we made extra so we can put the leftover chicken on a salad for lunch tomorrow, can’t wait! I marinated it for just under 24 hours and it is amaaaazing!
That’s awesome Rachel!!!!
I made these today and you were so right, the smell of the chicken cooking was amazing! I could bathe myself in that marinade! Thank you!
Woot!! I’m so glad you love it Martha!
So delicious, loved the chicken and the tzatzeki. It was perfect with your easy flatbreads. Another fantastic and easy recipe, thanks.
Thanks so much for the great feedback Donna!
Hi Nagi! This may be a silly question but I’ve watched the video and read the recipe over and over and don’t see it. Once you squeeze the juice out of the cucumbers for the Tzatziki do you use the juice in the sauce or discard it? Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Amanda, you discard it – N x
I thought so. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me though. I plan to make them tomorrow. Ill be back to let you know how they turn out! 🙂
I don’t have any yogurt! Is there any substitute that I can use?
Hi Dixie, do you have buttermilk or sour cream?
Can you use chicken breasts?
Hi Jale, I prefer thighs as they are juicy and don’t dry out however you could do this with breast. I would slice them in half to make them about 1.5 cm thick and just watch the cook time so they don’t overcook – N x
Awesome! My guys loved it!! Any other recommended meat options??
Love your recipes.
Another delicious recipe!
So healthy and flavorful!
Thanks again!
You’re so welcome Tania!
That marinade was insane! Sooooo flavorful! Delicious!
Thanks so much Carla, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Tested this recipe on my family and they loved it. The chicken is tender and flavorful. It is a favorite now.
Absolutely delicious. I used steak instead of chicken but followed the rest of the instructions to the t. A big hit with my two adult sons. Thanks!
Great!!
Nagi, So many of your meals I have prepared. I don’t know how you comprise such flavorful simple meals. You are certainly a foodie scientist and contractor in one!! This meal is good as a unique diversion to the norm.
This is one of our most favorite meals! We love making it when people come 0ver because the salad and tzatziki sauce can be made the night before. It’s SO good!!! We also love the flat bread but when we are in a hurry, we use naan bread (I like that it is a little more light/fluffy than flat bread) and it tastes just as good!
I’m so glad you love it Lily!
Cooked this chicken yesterday, it tasted fantastic, will definitely make this again.