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!
Wow thanks so much the chicken Gyros Devine a therific change to how I normally do them! My boys 18 & 20 loved them 👍🏻👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed this Fiona!!! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback! N x
Will it still taste good if we have friends over and the women do the grilling? 😒 Seriously, do gender stereotypes have to be a part of everything?
Are jokes really that difficult for you?? Are you always this delightful?
Aww come on! 🙂 I was making a joke! I “man” the BBQ most of the time!! ☺️
I made this for dinner just now and the whole family loved it. The chicken was so tasty, the juice from it was so yummy. The recipe is so easy but the look and taste was impressive. Only thing I altered was added avocado to the salad as we love avocadoes 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed this Rachel! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 N x
Hello, this looks amazing! My husband is allergic to dairy. Do you think I would use dairy free yogurt?
I didn’t realise there was such a thing! I’m not sure Jenny, sorry 🙂
Another delicious recipe!
That’s great to hear Nicole! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Hello! I’ve tried your recipe and I loved how it turned out. Just wondering though — would it be a good idea to try to sous vide the chicken before searing? Have you tried this method?
Hello Nagi!
Hope you are doing well. I recently tried this recipe without making the tzatziki sauce and it was delicious. However, this time I am making your sauce and I noticed that your recipe instructions and video do not match up. The recipe says to use two teaspoons of white wine vinegar, but in your video you don’t use any. Is there supposed to be white wine vinegar in your sauce? Please let me know. Thank you.
Oops. Forgot to update the video! I don’t use it anymore because I get enough sour from lemon. One less ingredient to worry about! Just updating now. Thanks for picking that up! N x
Is it OK to marinate the chicken for longer than 12 hours?
*correction – more than 24 hours? I put it in the marinade today at noon but dinner plans changed at last minute so I want to use tomorrow but that will be more like 30 hours. BTW I have made this many times (but used the same day) and LOVE it every time. Thank you for sharing it. DELICIOUS!
That’s absolutely fine Steph! Even up to 48 hours is fine for this 🙂 N x
Made it tonight. Loved it. Used Nann. Definitely made my recipe go to list.
Love this recipe!
Hello Nagi!!! This was my go to recipe it’s absolutely the best but recently I have found out I’m allergic to chicken! Have you got a lamb gyro recipe on hand?! I loved your chicken wings and fajita recipe now I have to go without!
Can I suggest using lemon zest, garlic and parsley in the marinade for lamb.
OMG that is on my LIST!!!!
Yay!!! I’m soooo excited and looking forward to it!
This Gyros recipe is amazing, we enjoy it quite regularly.
I love your Recipes.
One of my very favorite Chicken recipes!
LOVE HEARING THAT! N xx
My family and I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made it 6 or 7 times over the past year and every time it’s amazing. I either double or triple the recipe so my family of 6 can have leftovers for school/work lunch throughout the week. Thanks for sharing this!
Love hearing that Alicia!!! N x
My family and I LOVE this recipe – as well as the few others from your site we’ve tried! I find myself constantly linking your website on my FB profile just to share the love! <3
That’s terrific to hear Cheryl!! So pleased you enjoyed this – N x
This recipe has made it onto my favorites list! I have made it several times following three ingredients exactly and it has turned out great every time! Thank you.
Absolutely delicious! Do the nutrition calculations include the pita bread? Just curious because I found a pretty good low carb healthier pita and was hoping it would cut back on carbs and calories. Either way it’s a healthy yummy dinner!
Absolutely amazing!! Will definitely make this again. Loved it!
This chicken gyro recipe was a hit in my family! I had serious doubts but the kids accepted this change with such delight! I can’t wait to make it again! Thank you!
Love hearing that Diane! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx
So pleased to hear that Dallas! N x ❤️
I made the chicken but added 1/4 red onion to the marinade. Best chicken ever! Thank you sooo much.
You should definitely try it with the red onion.
Loved it!! I’ve tried a few recipes for this but yours is the best. Do you think any of the steps will freeze well?