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!
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
Delicious!
I love how every single recipe of yours I try work out beautifully.
We had this for tea last night. We loved it. Very, Very, nice. Easy to make. Instead of salad I used Tabouli.
Thank You for the recipe.
I’m a novice in the kitchen and I followed this recipe and it was the best thing I’ve ever made. Thank you!
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.
This recipe is amazing Nagi! It is full of such rich flavours that all work together beautifully!
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!
Wowza. I’ve been searching forever for one reliable food guru. And you are it!!
This was WONDERFUL. I’ll be back for more!
These are absolutely delicious!
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?
Nagi, you are a legend (and congrats on the book – it is a ripper). This is a fantastic recipe and a real fave at our place. When I first cooked it, George, my Greek neighbour, yelled over the fence ‘OMG, what are you cooking over there?’ True story! We have had it many times and my lessons have been for best results (1) marinade for the full 12 hours (2) baste the chicken with the remaining marinade each time it is turned on the BBQ grill and (3) use Mission’s Souvlaki Bread (available from Coles) and lightly toast it on the BBQ – yum! Thanks again Nagi.
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
This has to be my go to favourite lunch when people pop in to say hi. I always have chicken thighs in the freezer, fresh salad and wraps. YUM!
excellent recipe, used chicken breasts instead of thighs,
also added kalamata olives to the salad with a tiny splash of balsamic,
finally topped the gyros with a sprinkling of fresh feta cheese
Followed this recipe to the letter twice last week, only on the second occasion I used lamb in place of chicken. Both were amazingly tender and unbelievably tasty. A few have mentioned using shop bought Tzatziki, I urge you to make your own using this recipe, you won’t be sorry. It tastes so much fresher.
Excellent!!! I’ve been looking for a recipe like this and this one is outstanding! Didn’t have greek yogurt so used sour cream but otherwise followed the recipe. I will be making this recipe again and again and again. Hands down the best I’ve ever tired and your house smells amazing when pan frying. Thank you so much!!!!
This is an excellent recipe! Hands down the best greek chicken marinade I have ever made.
Made these for dinner tonight. They were delicious! Will be on high rotation over summer. Used store bought Tzatziki, imagine it would be even better with homemade. Maybe next time!
Great recipe. So easy and so full of flavor. Thank you.
This was SO GOOD. I only made the chicken (used store bought tzatziki) and I swear I could have just eaten all of the chicken directly out of the pan. I ended up cutting the chicken into strips before putting in the marinade and then kept tin the fridge for about 4 hours. Will definitely make this again.
Would this be just as good in a regular frying pan or does it need a griddle pan/plate?