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!
Qualata!!! Wow! It was so yummy and easy as
Hi there, I love your website and recipes. Is there any reason for using dried oregano rather than fresh in this recipe? Thanks
Hi Evlina! Fresh is too delicate to hold up to the marinade time in this recipe 🙂 Trust me, the dried adds incredible flavour – you will smell it when cooking! N x
Hi, of course you do not have to use the white wine vinegar, not sure it is alcohol though, ( if that is the reason for not using it) , but to be on the safe side, and just in case it is, then swap it for white vinegar or a little more lemon juice….I feel sure it will taste just as yummy, just don’t go overboard as both are acidic. I feel sure that the ingredients given are a guideline and some things can be substituted, just not too much or too many as you really do want to keep the authenticity of the dish. 🤗
Really yummy recipe I will definitely make this one again. It went very well for the no yeast flat bread.
Is it possible to cook in the oven as we dont have a grill? Thank you Nagi – love your recipes 🙂
Hi Claire! You can definitely do it in a frypan or grill pan..you won’t get that nice golden crust making it in the oven!
Hi darling💜 I wanted to ask if it’d be ok to dont use wine in it? I dont have it and I cant have it and I really want to make it so please answer my question💙
There’s no wine in it. It’s white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
You have done it again. Loved this recipe. Served it with your greek rice and salad. YUMM
Hi Nagi, we all love this !
I like to strain the yogurt because we found that it was too thin, and we like to smear the tzatziki over the meat…..
great recipe for when we have a few people over for dinner, cook lots of everything and let them help themselves…. Including cooking their own (Nagi flatbreads) and fill them…
Strawberry galette for desert, yummmm….
Legit! I’m married to a Greek and spend 3mths there every year and eat loads of Gyros! The only thing missing for a Greek is the fries, I roasted some kipfler potatoes cut into chips at the same time as roasting the chicken at 230C. Great recipe 👍
She’s right! (Greek here 😉🇬🇷)
Well done, Nagi, you’ve nailed it again!
She’s right! (Greek here 😉🇬🇷)
Well done, Nagi, you’ve nailed it again!
YUM!!!! I love this Karen! N x
Delicious and a winner on our table. We always have Alexa playing some Greek music while we eat.
Can you replace it with chicken breast
We do..some small breast fillets.
This is the BEST Greek gyros recipe ever !! It is one of my all time favourites to cook! The smell reminds me of being back in sunny Mykonos!
YUM!!! We loved this definitely will be on rotation here 🙂
Mmmmmmm….delicious, delicious, delicious!!!!! Marinated chicken 9 hrs, cooked on Webber bbq, made my own version of salad and tzatiki, threw it all on a loaf of Lebanese bread. Loved it. Surpasses any take away!
Wow! Love love love this recipe! We added red chile pepper flakes to the chicken for a bit of heat. Also, added crumbled feta on top of the tzaziki. So delicious. Making this again!!
We made these gyros last night, and we loved the easiness of cooking on the grill pan vs. bbq. Marinating the meat was the key, I had mine in for 6 hrs while I was away from home.
Cuke salad was great as a side dish and on the gyro. Will definitely make again.
Could I make this using lamb instead of chicken?
My son and I were just commenting how this would be even more delicious this would be with lamb.
Yep, I ended up using lamb and it was delicious.
AMAZING flavour. So simple, but so, so good. The garlic sauce is a must for serving. I cooked mine in the oven on a sheet pan at 425 F for about 20 minutes, flipped halfway through (I cut the thighs into thirds before marinating, so they cooked quickly). Thank you as always for sharing your beautiful recipes.
I’m new to your blog and LOVE it! I have 3 hungry boys and am, by not means, a cook. This was absolutely a hit! And easy to make. Thank you!
Hands down one of the tastiest recipes I’ve made from any website! I usually make once a week. I do use chicken breast and grill it.. I always make extra chicken and make chicken Cesar salads the next day. The chicken is even good on its own! My kids love it as well! Thank you!!
I plan to use chicken breasts also as we are a white meat family. Did you cut the breasts into strips before marinating and how long in the oven? TIA
Did you use the recipe exactly as is with chicken breast?