Easy Chicken Gyros
The thing that sets this recipe apart from all others is the method of cooking the chicken. Slow and in a loaf pan. I learned to cook the meat this way via a Chicken Shwarma recipe I started making in 2020. What an absolute perfect way to keep your chicken super juicy. I have not tried chicken breasts with this method but could see it working.
Gyros are Greece’s most popular street food for good reason – they wrap up and in your hand with the freshest tomatoes and onions, warm pita and lots of tsatziki sauce. I always add french fries to the wrap. It’s the taco of Greece. Another popular meat for souvlakia and gyros is pork.
Feel free to use this marinade and grill your chicken or cook it in a skillet. The flavor will still be there and your gyro will come together beautifully with all the yummy toppings.
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Easy Chicken Gyros
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 3 tbs Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs white wine vinegar
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless + skinless
Toppings:
- 1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced thin
- fresh parsley for garnish
- pita flatbreads, warmed
- Tzatziki
Instructions
Chicken:
- In a small bowl, whisk together everything but the chicken.
- Add the chicken to a large ziplock bag and then the marinade. Toss around to coat everything well and place in your fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Or overnight. I marinated mine for 5 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Important: line a 9×5” loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Layer the chicken in the loaf pan and then press them down at the end.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 160° F. Remove your pan from the oven and let it rest for ten minutes. Next drain the juices carefully from the pan. Transfer gyro to a cutting board and slice as needed.
Could this be made using chicken breasts? We don’t eat dark meat.
Absolutely, just make sure you slice them or pound them to be thinner so that they are not too thick
Excellent. Easy. Delicious. Made your recipe for tzatziki sauce as well. So good. Kids loved it too!
Made this a couple of time. Family loves it
Yum! I just made this with your pita and tzatziki recipe and my family had the most delicious meal. The chicken was so good, juicy and flavorful.
could i freeze this and cook layer?
This has become a staple in my meal planning. I use chicken breasts and it is always delicious. My family loves it!
I’ve made this twice now! Absolutely delicious! This is a keeper along with your Tazekie sauce and Lemon rice recipe. Thank you! We ate the chicken twice with the rice.
That marinade is the tastiest! I let my meat marinate for about 8 hours and it was perfection! It did take about 10 more minutes to cook than stated in the recipe. My family loved this dinner!!!
I would love to see the Chicken Shwarma recipe you spoke about in this recipe. Have you posted it somewhere?
I used chicken breasts and they were juicy and so delicious! I highly recommend this dish🤗
Hi Michelle, awesome! Glad you liked them!!
it works amazing with chicken breasts! my kids loved it!
Hi Tanya, love the feedback and glad the kids enjoyed too!
This meal has been on repeat weekly in my house which is hard to say about any recipe with teen kids! You should definitely give it a try.
Hi Kim, so glad the whole family enjoyed! Thanks for the kind rating too!
Normally when you have a marinade with vinegar or acid, you should not do it overnight with chicken. Breaks it down too much, can make it stringy.
Hi Stella
Can I switch the chicken thighs to chicken breast
Hi Ali, yes you can.. just may take more or less time with the thickness of the meat accounted for…
Made these with chicken breasts sliced thin. Marinated all day. Baked 325 for 45 min. Amazing! Loved the Tsatziki recipe with it. The red onions are a must as is Greek flatbread! The marinade is fabulous on the chicken. I only used 1/4 of the salt. I tasted marinade until I liked it as it does need some salt. Super easy to make. I highly recommend.
Hi Lee Ann, Thanks for trying the dish out and I’m glad it was a winner for you!
prepped the chicken to marinate day before, made tzatziki sauce fresh, day of. Husband & I, thrilled an enjoyed it, but alil disappointed I didn’t get tomatoes and Lettuce for his wrap lolol will be making this again LoVED it! I love all your recipes, wanna get your book! where can I order it?
Hi Carie, I’m so glad you both enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the interest – I’m currently working on the cookbook. Please stay tuned or subscribe to my website for immediate notification of its release! <3