The secret to making healthy homemade chicken gyros is the herbed yogurt marinade that caramelizes beautifully and keeps lean chicken juicy, whether you cook on the stove, in the oven, or on the grill outside. Tucked into a soft Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce and crunchy vegetables, it’s a sandwich night supper that’s almost as easy as takeout.On occasion, I love to enjoy a lamb and beef gyro, the meat spit-roasted until it’s rich and lightly charred. But in the interest of health, I try to make them an occasional treat, rather than my gyro go-to. For this chicken gyro recipe and most other weeknight meals, I try to instead prioritize leaner proteins and lots of fresh vegetables, even in sandwiches! This chicken gyro isn’t a spit-roasted affair, but chicken tenders cook quickly making this a healthy, casual dinner you can easily scale up or down.
What is a Greek Chicken Gyro?
A gyro, which is pronounced “yi-roh,” is a beloved Greek street food that is now popular the world over. In the United States, gyro is typically made from a combination of spiced ground lamb and ground beef. The meat is formed into a big meatloaf and roasted in the oven or on a vertical roaster. It’s then sliced into strips and served as part of a platter or tucked into a pita wrap. In Greece, however, gyros look a little different. They are made with chicken or pork as often as they are beef or lamb. Instead of using ground meat they’re made from whole muscle cuts. Similar to the version we see in the U.S., these are stacked and roasted on a slowly spinning vertical roaster similar to the Turkish Doner Kebab. The name gyro comes from the Greek word meaning “round” or ”to turn.” The cook cuts the meat from the spit in thin shavings and tucks them into a puffy pita with thinly sliced red onion, tomato, Greek yogurt or tzatziki, and sometimes French fries, adding a final shake of paprika. Though gyros can be filled with almost any type of meat, yogurt-marinated chicken is a lean, healthy option that is just as flavorful as richer cuts from beef or lamb.
What’s the Difference Between Chicken Gyro, Chicken Shawarma, and Chicken Kebab?
You’ll find some similarities in the preparation of gyros, doner kebabs, and Shawarma. The spit-roasted meat sandwich reflects many different regions and cultures throughout the Mediterranean. That said, there are subtle differences between them.
Doner kebab seasoning is a tad more generous on cumin, and tends to have a brick-red hue from the addition of paprika and Aleppo pepper. Chicken Shawarma has a smoky and sweet note from the addition of cumin and ground cloves, as well as a sunny color from the addition of ground turmeric. Gyro seasoning is more herbaceous, prominently featuring the flavors of dried oregano and fresh garlic.
Another distinguishing factor? The accompanying sauce. For gyros, it has to be herby Tzatziki Sauce. In shawarma, it’s a lemony Tahini Sauce. Doner kebabs sometimes have two sauces; a garlicky yogurt or mayonnaise-based sauce and a tomato-based hot sauce.
What Cut of Chicken to Use for Chicken Gyros?
Using chicken tenders makes this chicken gyro recipe weeknight-friendly. The tenders cook quickly and require little prep. Just mix up the yogurt marinade, add the chicken and you’re ready to cook! That said, you can also use this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, either whole or cut into strips. If you’re grilling your chicken, marinate and grill whole breasts or thighs to minimize the likelihood that your chicken pieces will fall through the grill grates. Once they’ve cooled slightly you can slice them.
Chicken Gyro Ingredients
You’ll need just a quick spin through the grocery store to pick up ingredients for this chicken gyro recipe. Besides the fresh ingredients, most of the flavoring elements for the marinade are spice cabinet staples.
For the Gyros
Chicken tenders cut down on prep work for this recipe, because you can add them straight into the marinade without any slicing or trimming (one less knife and cutting board to wash up!). Plus, they’re a shape that fits well into a pita wrap. Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend cooking the chicken in a nonstick pan because the yogurt browns well, and adding a little olive oil helps that process along nicely. Pita Bread: Tender Pita Bread is essential for a wrap-style gyro. If you’re using store-bought pita, which is totally fine, I recommend looking for the puffy, single layer, Greek-style pita bread to make gyros, rather than the thinner, double layer pitas. Tzatziki Sauce: Refreshing, cucumber studded Tzatziki Sauce is easy to make and adds richness and tang to this Greek chicken gyro recipe. Tomato, either sliced or cut into wedges, is one of the essential fresh fillings for any gyro and adds tangy sweetness. Cucumber adds juicy crunch, a welcome textural contrast to the tender chicken, and another textbook gyro filling. Green peppers are not necessarily something you’ll always find on a gyro, but they often appear next to cucumber and tomato in horiatiki, Greek Salad, so to me they make sense here, too. Red onion adds welcome pungency and crunch to the soft pita wrap and tender chicken. If you’re sensitive to onion, soak the slices in ice water beforehand to tame their bite. Kalamata olives: I love the briny richness a few Greek olives add to the gyro.
For the Spiced Yogurt Marinade
Greek yogurt is the base for the marinade. The lactic acid naturally present in thick, plain Greek yogurt tenderizes the chicken while also helping to keep it juicy as it cooks. Lemon juice adds even more tenderizing acidity as well as fresh citrus flavor to the marinade. Want to boost it even more? Add the zest of the lemon, too. Extra virgin olive oil: brings richness and nuance to the marinade. For this recipe, I love using our grassy Greek Private Reserve olive oil, which is made from native-to-Greece Koroneiki olives. Red wine vinegar: A splash of vinegar helps cut through the richness of the yogurt in the flavor of the marinade. Garlic brings pungent and savory depth of flavor. Seasoning: Dried oregano (see “Ingredient Spotlight” below for a deeper dive on Greek Oregano) adds herbaceousness, and a touch each of sweet paprika, ground cumin, and ground coriander add smoky, resinous flavors that give the marinade depth. Salt and pepper enhance the flavor of the marinade, too.
Ingredient Spotlight
Oregano is an essential flavor in so many beloved Greek dishes, and gyros are no exception. Using Greek oregano in this chicken gyro recipe takes it from everyday to exceptional. Oregano is a perennial herb that grows wild in the mountainous countryside that characterizes so much of Greece. It is so aromatic that you can smell it all around you, similar to the way wild fennel is everywhere in the South of France and Italy. In contrast, Italian and Turkish types of oregano are sweeter and less pungent.Even when dried into robust bunches, Greek oregano retains a sharp, heady aroma that has a high note of mint and a peppery savoriness. Crush a few of the leaves and dried flowers between your fingers and the herbaceous aroma persists, a prized characteristic that makes it a wonderful herb for Mediterranean cooking.
TRY IT: Find both bunches and jars of Greek oregano at our shop. BEST SUBSTITUTE: Any other type of oregano! Keep in mind that, no matter where it’s from, oregano is one of those herbs where the freshness of the jar has a big impact on the herb’s flavor and aroma.
How to Make Chicken Gyros
It only takes minutes to whip up this marinade. While the chicken soaks up all the flavor prep the rest of your dinner.
Marinate the chicken. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, three minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, if using, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each) and mix well. Add 1 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders, ensuring each piece of chicken is well coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or overnight.) Meanwhile, prep the gyro fixings. Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Shake off any excess marinade and add the chicken tenders to the pan. Cook on one side undisturbed until well-browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn the chicken over and cook on the other side for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is done (internal temperature should register 165°F). Assemble the chicken gyros. Warm up some pita by carefully wafting it over a medium gas burner or in a hot, dry skillet over medium heat. Spread Tztaziki sauce on top, then add chicken (about 2 to 3 tenders each) and top with 1 sliced tomato, 1 sliced cucumber, 1 cored and sliced green pepper, 1 small red onion sliced in half moons, and olives. Wrap the pita up and enjoy!
Can I Grill or Bake the Chicken Instead?
For these chicken gyros, you can absolutely use an outdoor grill, or you can bake the chicken if you need to:
To grill. Grill chicken tenders over medium heat for about 5 minutes on one side, turn, and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Be sure the grill grates are lightly oiled, and shake off excess marinade before placing the chicken on the grill. To bake. Heat your oven to 375°F. Shake excess marinade off the chicken tenders and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in heated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tender reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
How to Store Chicken Gyros
As with all sandwiches, chicken gyros are best as soon as they’re assembled. If you have leftover cooked chicken and fixin’s, store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store leftover pita at room temperature. Reheat the chicken gently and assemble fresh gyros just before serving.
What to Serve With Chicken Gyros
These chicken gyros are a complete meal on their own, but a few fun sides never hurt! For a fun twist, add a little Marinated Feta or rather than assembling different veggies, just make this Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad to top the gyros or serve alongside. The obvious choice to add next to these gyros is a Traditional Greek Salad, but I also highly recommend this tasty Watermelon Salad or Grilled Zucchini Salad. For something more substantial, get the oven going for a batch of Greek Roasted Potatoes or Crispy Greek Oven Fries. Based on a baked version of chunky steak fries, they’re finished with a showering of garlic, fresh herbs, and a little crumbled feta. If you want a really authentic gyro, add a few fries inside the pita wrap! Browse all Mediterranean RecipesVisit Our Shop
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