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Home » Chicken and Poultry » 20-Minute Chicken Gyros

20-Minute Chicken Gyros

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
August 16, 2022
4.92 from 69 votes


Last Updated May 1, 2023 | 6 Comments

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148.8K shares
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Chicken Gyro Pin

This Greek-inspired Chicken Gyro Recipe is made with juicy yogurt marinated chicken, fresh veggies, and creamy tzatziki, all wrapped in a soft pita flatbread. Perfect for busy weeknights, the whole family will love the amazing flavors of this delicious 20-minute recipe.

Marinated chicken, sliced tomatoes, red onion, fresh dill, and creamy tzatziki all wrapped in a soft pita flatbread.

The Best Greek Chicken Gyros

Easy dinners, ideally 30 minutes or less, are key to my sanity at the moment. Life is busy, and I haven’t felt like cooking long elaborate meals, so having a handful of simple, delicious dinners on rotation has been a true lifesaver.

These Greek chicken gyros are just one example, but they are definitely my favorite.

Easy to make ahead and perfect for meal prep, the ingredients are clean, fresh, simple, and so delicious. Perfect for kids and adults, it allows plenty of room for modifications to fit your family’s tastes and preferences.

This recipe calls for making your own homemade tzatziki sauce, but use your favorite store-bought cucumber yogurt dip if that’s easier. And while marinating the chicken is optional, I highly recommend allowing the chicken to rest in the herb and yogurt marinade for at least 30 minutes. Yogurt is one of the best meat tenderizers, practically guaranteeing juicy, tender chicken.

You may also enjoy: Tandoori Chicken Gyros with Curried Yogurt Sauce

How to Make Chicken Gyros

  1. Marinate the chicken: Combine the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, salt, oregano, and paprika in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and mix well to combine. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Prepare the tzatziki: Tzatziki can be prepared the day before serving. Keep refrigerated.
  3. Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes on the other side, or until cooked through.
  4. Assemble: Warm the pita bread in the microwave or oven and prepare the desired toppings. Build each gyro by spreading Tzatziki onto each pita bread, and top with fresh sliced tomatoes, red onion, and 2-3 chicken tenders. Wrap and serve.
Fully cooked yogurt marinated chicken in a cast iron skillet

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Gyro

  • Marinate the chicken in yogurt. Even better, marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours. Yogurt is one of the best meat tenderizers. This is especially important if you are cooking with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
  • For even juicier chicken with more flavor, try this recipe with chicken thighs. For best results, chop the chicken thighs into large chunks before mixing them with the marinade.
  • Tzatziki is a key player in this chicken gyro recipe. Unless you’re allergic to cucumber, don’t skip it.
  • Find a soft and fluffy pita or flatbread. Naan or flour tortillas will also work.
  • Shake off a bit of the yogurt before adding the chicken to your hot skillet.

How to Serve

Chicken gyro is a delicious and filling meal on its own. When serving a larger group, I’ll often include at least one of the following as a side: tabouli salad, Greek salad, or classic hummus.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Gyro with fresh cucumber Tzatziki Sauce wrapped in soft flatbread

More Mediterranean Inspired Recipes,

  • Chickpea Tahini Salad Wraps
  • Mediterranean Grilled Turkey Burgers
  • Mediterranean Baked Fish with Artichokes and Olives
  • Canned Artichoke Hearts with Parmesan Breadcrumb Topping
  • Easy Mediterranean Chicken Wraps with Hummus
  • Greek Lemon and Chicken Soup with Couscous and Artichokes
  • Chicken Shawarma Quinoa Bowls

Have you tried making this Chicken Gyro Recipe?

Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes. I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.

Easy Chicken Gyros

Chicken Gyro Recipe

4.92 from 69 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
This Greek-inspired Chicken Gyro Recipe is made with juicy yogurt marinated chicken, fresh veggies, and creamy tzatziki, all wrapped in a soft pita flatbread. Perfect for busy weeknights, the whole family will love the amazing flavors of this delicious 20-minute recipe.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Time to Marinate the Chicken 30 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Chicken, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 4 Gyros
Calories 472 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Marinade + Chicken

  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1.5 pounds chicken tenders - see notes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Tzatziki Sauce

  • ½ cucumber - seeded with skin removed
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt - plain, full-fat recommended
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon fresh dill - minced
  • salt + pepper - to taste

For the Gyros

  • 4 pita, flatbread, or naan
  • 2 tomatoes - quartered or sliced
  • ¼ red onion - thinly sliced
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, mix together the lemon juice, plain Greek yogurt, salt, oregano, and paprika. Add the chicken tenders to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover the chicken tenders and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
  • To prepare the tzatziki sauce, grate the cucumber using a cheese grater and squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as possible. Transfer the cucumber to a medium bowl and combine it with the Greek yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, fresh dill, salt, and black pepper, to taste. Cover and transfer the tzatziki to the refrigerator until ready to use (the tzatziki will keep for approximately 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator).
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken tenders to the skillet (working in batches if necessary). Cook the chicken for 5 minutes, undisturbed, before flipping to the other side to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes more, or until fully cooked.
  • As the chicken cooks, warm the pita bread in the microwave or oven and prepare the desired toppings. 
  • Build each gyro by spreading Tzatziki onto each pita bread, and top with fresh sliced tomatoes, red onion, and 2-3 chicken tenders. Wrap up the pitas in parchment paper or foil and enjoy!

Video

Jessica’s Notes

  • This recipe may also be made using boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts. For best results, slice the chicken into large chunks before marinating. This will increase the surface area for the yogurt sauce to marinate the chicken and decrease the total cook time.
  • If you have time, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking. The yogurt helps to tenderize the chicken, resulting in juicier, more flavorful chicken after it is cooked.
  • Recommended toppings: Sliced tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, tzatziki, extra virgin olive oil, crumbled feta cheese.
  • Any leftover chicken will keep for 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftover tzatziki will keep for 2-3 days.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 839mg | Potassium: 1090mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 935IU | Vitamin C: 16.1mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 1.9mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword chicken gyro, chicken gyro recipe, chicken gyro with tzatziki
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Chef Jessica Randhawa leads The Forked Spoon. A world traveler, Jessica developed her passion for culinary arts while adventuring. With her recipes making their way onto renowned platforms such as Women's Health, Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, and Fox News, she's marked her presence in the culinary world. Jessica's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from the University of California.

148.8K shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Chef Jessica Randhawa leads The Forked Spoon. A world traveler, Jessica developed her passion for culinary arts while adventuring. With her recipes making their way onto renowned platforms such as Women's Health, Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, and Fox News, she's marked her presence in the culinary world. Jessica's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Θεοδοσία Γεωργοτά says

    October 1, 2020 at 4:13 am

    What you made is called chicken pita not chicken gyros ,you are writing something that is not included in your recipe, gyros is a type of meat ,pita is the one that is surrounding the chicken with the onions and the tsatziki, sorry but I am from Greece and I almost had a heart attack by the title

    Reply
  2. Jess says

    March 1, 2019 at 1:35 pm

    5 stars
    I tried making these and they turned out decent. I used mult Grain wrap that may have altered the taste a bit. But still tasty

    Reply
  3. Georgia says

    January 5, 2019 at 6:52 am

    5 stars
    Great gyros!!!!

    Reply
  4. Amber says

    March 10, 2018 at 8:59 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! I made these for my husband and I – we both loved them!!!

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      April 7, 2019 at 7:08 pm

      5 stars
      I made these for dinner tonight and they were a big hit. It was easy to make and the flavor was fantastic.

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      August 25, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      I made these for dinner tonight, and oh my are they great! I love gyros! So easy to make. I let my chicken marinate 24 hours. I don’t think there’s going to be any leftovers for the work week lol. Thanks for the great recipe! I’ll definitely be making these again.

      Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica, the chef behind The Forked Spoon, where I share my delicious recipes along with my kitchen tips and expert advice to transform your everyday cooking into a gratifying culinary experience. Learn more about me→

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