This delightful recipe for chicken gyros is sure to become a beloved favorite among every family member. It features juicy, marinated white meat chicken that’s bursting with flavor, all stuffed in homemade, soft, and fluffy Pita bread. The dish is complemented by a creamy, tangy sour cream Tzatziki Sauce, vibrant fresh chopped vegetables, and a sprinkle of rich, crumbly feta cheese. All these ingredients add an irresistible depth to each bite.
Traditionally, gyros are made with spiced ground lamb or beef meat that is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It is then thinly sliced off and placed inside of warm pitas with tzatziki sauce and fresh vegetables. This chicken version offers a lighter and equally satisfying alternative. Gyros originate in Greece as a popular street food. They are similar to shawarmas, which are a popular food from Middle Eastern cuisine. This makes gyros a tasty representative of cross-cultural flavors. The History of the Gyro-The New York Times
Health Benefits of Chicken Gyros
This chicken gyros recipe is not only delicious but also packed with health benefits. Each serving is loaded with protein, essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Since all ingredients are prepared from scratch, you can enjoy this meal knowing it’s free from preservatives and artificial additives.
Chicken Gyros Preparation, Servings, and Storage
This recipe for chicken gyros is great because many of the steps in preparation can either be done all at once, or over a few days. The pita bread can be prepared ahead of time and frozen for up to three months. It can also be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. The chicken marinate can be made in the morning and allowed to tenderize and flavor the chicken all day long or it can be done in as little as two hours before cooking. Tzatziki sauce can also be made early in the day and used for dinner that evening. Having all these ingredients prepared ahead of time allows this meal to be ready and on the table in less than 20 minutes!
This recipe for chicken gyros will serve six people, making it ideal for large families or small gatherings. One of the best accompaniments to a freshly prepared gyro is hot, crispy french fries. The best news is that all of the ingredients can be stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for leftovers the next day!
Chicken Gyros
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Equipment
Ingredients
Marinate Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/4 cup White wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup Lemon juice
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1 tbsp Dill (dried)
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Pita Bread
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 tbsp Instant yeast
- 2 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Sea salt
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 5 cups Bread flour
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dried dill
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 cup Shredded mini cucumber
Gyro fixin's
- 2 cup Shredded lettuce
- 1 Diced roma tomato
- 1/2 cup Sliced red onion
- 2 Diced mini cucumbers
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese
Instructions
Marinated chicken
- In a gallon sized bag, combine olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts in the bag, remove the air, seal the bag, and allow to marinate for 2 hours.
- When ready to cook the chicken, it can be grilled or baked in a 375℉ oven for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 165℉.
- Cover with foil and allow the chicken to cool while preparing the other ingredients.
- Cut chicken into bite sized pieces to add to the gyros.
Tzaziki Sauce
- Begin by shredding the mini cucumbers.
- Squeeze the shredded cucumber to remove as much water as possible.
- Place the shredded cucumber in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Add sour cream, minced garlic, dried dill, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
- Mix to combine all ingredients.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the gyros.
Pita Bread
- In a stand mixer, combine sugar, instant yeast and water. Allow to rest for a few minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam.
- Add bread flour, sea salt and olive oil to the mixer.
- Using the dough hook, kneat the dough on low speed for 10 minutes.
- Cover the dough and allow to rise for about 1 hour.
- Once the dough has risen, remove and roll into 20 equal sized balls.
- Place the dough balls on a sheet pan, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat a griddle to medium heat. When the griddle is hot, dust a work surface with flour and begin rolling the dough balls into 6 inch flat rounds.
- Place the pita dough rounds on the griddle and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. The pitas are cooked through when there are a few brown spots on the outside of the dough on both sides.
- Pitas can be kept warm in a warming basket or stored in a bag at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Assembling the chicken gyros
- Spread 1-2 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce onto a warm pita.
- Add chopped chicken, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced mini cucumbers, and feta cheese.
- Serve 2 chicken gyros per person.
Nutrition
