The Easiest Chicken Gyro Recipe

This Greek chicken gyro recipe is quick, easy, and delicious! A simple, yet flavorful marinade transforms the chicken breast into a juicy, delicious protein that pairs perfectly with fluffy pita bread and all your favorite toppings like tomato, cucumber, onion, and a dollop of lemon dill yogurt sauce.

 

Easy Greek Chicken Gyro Recipe

• Flavor. The marinade is OUT OF THIS WORLD. The flavors infuse beautifully into the chicken making it perfectly tender, juicy, and loaded with flavor.
• Simplicity. The ingredient list for this chicken gyro recipe is short and sweet which means you’ve probably got most of these ingredients on hand already!
• Ease. Serve these chicken gyros in a “build your own” buffet style for dinner so that everyone can add their own toppings! Kids are more likely to eat the meal when they’ve played a part in creating it!

Ingredients for Greek Chicken Gyros

• Greek Yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream will work best for this recipe. Fat-free or low-fat are not going to give you the same flavor.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil adds flavor and helps prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill pan.
• Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice: Lemon zest and juice add a delicious zippiness. Do not substitute! Try to use fresh squeezed lemon juice for best results.
• Herbs & Spice: Dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, and paprika is my favorite combination to add as much flavor as possible.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic adds a complexity that pairs really well with the other flavors. Plus it’s a classic choice for Greek chicken.
• Garlic: Add as much garlic as you like – really! The more the merrier! Substitute with 3/4 of a teaspoon of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.
• Chicken: Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
• All the Fixings: Pita bread, Romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion, lemon dill yogurt sauce, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh dill are my favorite things to serve with this delicious chicken. Feel free to add your family’s favorites!

How to Make Chicken Gyros at Home

Combine Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, paprika, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Slice chicken breast in half lengthwise, creating thinner pieces of chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. This will help the chicken to cook more evenly.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large round grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken breasts from the marinade, allowing the excess marinade to drip off. Cook chicken breasts in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Cook chicken for 3-5 minutes per side or until it’s cooked through to 165 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

Serve sliced chicken in pita bread along with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and red onion. Drizzle with dill yogurt sauce and sprinkle crumbled feta over everything. Enjoy!

Tips for Making Greek Chicken Gyros

• Marinating. Do you really need to marinate the chicken for 4-8 hours?! Well, no. But please marinate it for at least 30 minutes. The longer you marinate, the more flavor the chicken will have and the more tender it will be when it’s cooked. However, because of the acidity in the marinade, you don’t want to go past 8 hours or the acid will start to break down the chicken. So 4-8 hours is the sweet spot.
• Room Temperature. Before you cook the chicken, it’s important to let it sit out on the counter for about 20-30 minutes. This will allow it to come to room temperature so it cooks more evenly and you don’t end up burning the outside while the inside still isn’t cooked through.
• Resting. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing it into strips. This will allow the juices to redistribute so you’ve got super moist chicken.

Making Greek Chicken Gyros Ahead of Time

• These chicken gyros are a great make-ahead recipe!
• You can prep the marinade a couple days in advance and then marinate whenever you’re ready.
• You can marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours before cooking.
• Or you can cook the marinated chicken and store it in the fridge for easy lunches all week!

Storing Leftover Chicken Gyros

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheating Greek Chicken Gyros

• Reheat gyro chicken in a large saute pan over medium heat.
• Add a splash of olive oil just before adding the chicken so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
• Cook until heated through.
• Serve with pita bread and all the fixings!

Try these easy Greek recipes next!

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