Greek Chicken Gyros With Tzatziki
Lemony, garlicky yogurt-marinated chicken thighs, seared and sliced into warm pitas with cool tzatziki, tomato and red onion. A Greek favourite at home.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
1 hr 5 min total 4 gyrosEasy
Photo: jeffreyw · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Chicken gyros bring the flavours of a Greek street-food stand to your kitchen. Chicken thighs marinate in yogurt, lemon, garlic and oregano, which keeps them tender and juicy, then sear in a hot pan until charred at the edges.
Pile the sliced chicken into warm pitas with homemade tzatziki, tomatoes and red onion for a lunch that is fresh, filling and full of flavour.
Equipment you'll need
- Large skillet or grill pan
- Box grater
- Instant-read thermometer
Tips for success
- Squeeze the grated cucumber well, or the tzatziki will turn watery.
- Thighs stay juicier than breasts, even if cooked a little longer.
- Discard leftover marinade that touched raw chicken.
Substitutions and variations
- Use chicken breast, cut into strips, and cook for slightly less time.
- Add a few French fries inside the pita, as many Greek street vendors do.
- Use dairy-free yogurt for the marinade and tzatziki.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate cooked chicken for up to 3 days and tzatziki for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Reheat the chicken in a hot skillet until heated through to 165°F (74°C).
Recipe
Greek Chicken Gyros With Tzatziki
Lemony, garlicky yogurt-marinated chicken thighs, seared and sliced into warm pitas with cool tzatziki, tomato and red onion. A Greek favourite at home.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Marinate
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Yield
- 4 gyros
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Chicken
Tzatziki
To serve
Instructions
Step 1: Marinate
Whisk the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Add the chicken, coat well, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
Step 2: Make the tzatziki
Stir the yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice and salt together and refrigerate.
Step 3: Cook the chicken
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Wipe off excess marinade and cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until charred in places and cooked through to 165°F (74°C).
Step 4: Rest and slice
Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
Step 5: Assemble
Fill the warm pitas with lettuce, chicken, tomato and onion, and spoon over plenty of tzatziki.
Cuisine: Greek · Course: Lunch
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 490
- Protein
- 46 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugars
- 6 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-gyros
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