Easy Homemade Chicken Gyro Recipe (Healthy Options)
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One of my favorite Greek restaurant meals is shaved and seasoned meat called Gyro used to make sandwiches on pita bread. Imagine my delight when I learned that you can make chicken with the same flavors at home. Quick and delicious, our homemade Easy Chicken Gyro Recipe comes together in minutes.
While slow-cooked Greek gyro meat done the traditional way tastes amazing, it takes hours to prepare. Not our chicken gyros recipe, consisting of fresh veggies and tender chicken served in warm pita bread is a complete meal that makes them the perfect lunch or easy enough to make any night of the week. This delicious recipe gets me the same flavor profile at home.
Our Greek Chicken Gyros recipe is incredibly easy and it’s a versatile meal. Serve your chicken gyro over rice, wrapped in flatbread, or a pita, or make a Greek salad.
Mediterranean recipes are known to be traditionally healthier but traditional gyro meat is relatively high in fat. Recipes like our Lamb Burgers, Greek Salad with Lemon Dressing, and these easy Chicken Gyros recipes are lower in fat and make delicious meals that we feel good about feeding to our family.
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Ingredients for the Chicken Gyros Recipe
Chicken – Boneless chicken thighs, chicken breast, or chicken tenders. Sliced thin and marinated in the Greek dressing.
Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Tomatoes – Grape or cherry tomatoes.
- Cucumber – We like the smooth flavor of English cucumbers and remove the seeds. Peeling them is optional.
- Sweet Onion – Vidalia or a red onion. Sliced thinly.
- Kalamata Olives – The deli olives are generally better than jarred but use what you enjoy. Seeded.
- Lettuce – We like a crisp lettuce that can be chopped. We don’t recommend romaine unless the thick ribs are removed. Butter, Green Leaf, or Iceberg are good choices.
- Easy Pita Bread recipe – Sliced in half.
- Crumbled Feta Cheese – Feta in liquid is better than dry crumbled.
Greek Dressing and Marinade Ingredients.
Double this recipe and use half to marinate the chicken. While we like our simple blend of spices, you can use a spice blend such as Mediterranean seasoning, Italian Seasoning, or Herbs de Provence seasoning blends.
- Olive Oil – We use a mild extra-virgin olive oil. Choose one that you enjoy the taste of.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Substitute with Champagne vinegar or Apple cider vinegar
- Spices – Dried Oregano, Dried Basil, Garlic Powder.
- Salt and Black Pepper.
- Dijon Mustard – Mustard works as an emulsifier to make the dressing creamy.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Gyros
1. Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients into a jar or salad cruet. Shake to combine. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and olives in a ziplock bag or airtight container and drizzle lightly with Greek dressing. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer. Place sliced chicken in another ziplock bag and drizzle lightly with Greek dressing. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer.
2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy skillet. You can use a grill pan but our favorite is a cast iron skillet. Add the chicken and cook for four minutes on each side or until golden brown and at an internal temperature of 165ºF. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Drain the marinade from the vegetables and mix them with the chopped lettuce. Build a Gyro by placing marinated vegetable lettuce mixture in the pita bread. Add chicken and top with Feta cheese and a drizzle of tzatziki sauce.
Hostess Tips
Tips for working with raw poultry. We use a nonporous cutting board and chop everything else before working with the raw chicken to keep it from cross-contaminating the fresh ingredients. Reclosable bags or glass bowls are used for marinating the chicken because we want something that can be thrown away or put in the dishwasher. Never rinse raw poultry because splashing water can spread bacteria around your kitchen.
Use a large enough skillet to keep from crowding the chicken so it can brown evenly or work in batches.
You can cook extra chicken and freeze it for quick and delicious meals on busy days. Let the cooked chicken cool completely and store it in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziplock bag. Use it within 3 months.
With a little meal prep, you can have a quick and easy meal during the week. Cook the chicken ahead of time and chop up the fresh ingredients but don’t combine them. Assemble your gyros when you’re ready.
If you don’t have the seasoning we call for, instead of purchasing multiple herbs, you can use Greek seasoning or a blend called Herbs de Provence and salt and pepper. Fresh herbs such as ground coriander or fresh dill would be delicious.
Variations for Homemade Chicken Gyros Recipe
- Make chicken skewers and grill for a healthy option. You can also use leftover turkey or chicken, rotisserie chicken, or deli for a semi-homemade option.
- Serve with purchased or homemade tzatziki sauce.
- Greek Dressing makes a delicious marinade any time you want to cook chicken. It isn’t just for gyros. Marinating chicken adds tons of flavor and moisture. We recommend at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Add chickpeas, sweet red peppers, or spicy banana peppers.
Greek Chicken Gyro recipe is a complete meal. However, if you’re looking for options of what you can serve with it, we recommend Greek Tabbouleh salad, old-fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie, and a delicious Campari cocktail!
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Chicken Gyros
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 skinless boneless chicken breast sliced thin. See Notes
Salad Dressing
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 cucumber diced
- ¼ sweet onion sliced thinly
- 12 Kalamata olives halved
- 2 cups lettuce shredded
- 4 pieces of Pita Bread sliced in half
- Feta cheese crumbled
Greek Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1¼ tsp dried oregano
- 1¼ tsp dried basil
- 1¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
Chicken
- We slice the chicken and seasoned it with herbs before cooking it quickly in a skillet. You can also grill the chicken and slice it for a delicious alternative.
Gyro Sandwich
- Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients into a jar or salad cruet. Shake to combine.
- Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion and olives in a ziplock bag and drizzle lightly with Greek dressing. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer.
- Place sliced chicken in another ziplock bag and drizzle lightly with Greek dressing. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside and keep warm.
- Drain marinade from vegetables and add to chopped lettuce.
- Build Gyro by placing marinated vegetable lettuce mixture in the pita bread. Add chicken and top with Feta cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
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Originally released on April 21, 2016, this Chicken Gyro recipe has undergone updates to enhance our readers’ experience, including simple details and new images. No changes were made to the actual recipe.
I haven’t had Gyro in years! These look so tempting that I’m going to try them soon. 🙂
In a pita or on a salad… This would make an amazing meal either way!!
Thank you Tracy!
Yum! I LOVE gyros, and these look amazing! I recently made my own pitas also, they are sooo much better homemade!
Thanks Meghan! I think abut anything is better homemade. I need to make another batch. John loved having them for his lunch instead of bread for a nice change.
Yummy! This looks amazing!
Thank you Elise!
I’ve just had to look up ‘Gyro’ – that’s what gets called a kebab around me. However, I’m pretty sure we don’t get Greek ones – just really, really dodgy Doner Kebabs from even more dodgy late night take-away joints). I haven’t had one for years – ever since I’ve been too old to ignore what might be in the meat ;( but now I’m looking forward to trying them out again with your mouthwatering homemade, wholesome version – complete with homemade pitta bread. Brilliant.
Thank you so much Jane! I just love the differences in our language. I had to look up dodgy! I’m with you on the mystery meat thing!
I love Greek stuffed pitas. It is often what I order when we go out to Greek restaurants. Now, I can make it at home. Thanks for sharing:)
Thank you Lily! They are so easy and flavorful. Perfect for summer.
I love love gyros! You have made it so simple and easy to make them at home! Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe! Happy weekend!
Thank you sweet Su! I had a wonderful weekend, and hope you did too!
Yum–these Gyros look delicious!
Thank you Nancy!
I haven’t had Greek food in sooooo long and Gyro is something that I adore. I have yet to find a recipe for it though and finding yours is such a gem! I’m going to make these for sure and they’ll be perfect for lunch! Happy FF 🙂
Thank you Cynthia! I’m craving it now that the weather is getting nice!
oh my goodness i just found your blog and i LOVE it! you have a new fan!
Thank you Sarah! You’ve just made my day. I love making new friends, and will be checking out your blog too! Thank you my new friend, and enjoy your day.
A perfect dinner, I love chicken gyros and the dressing looks so flavourful. I can only imagine them tasting even better in home made pita breads! 🙂
Thank you Petra! It was so much fun making the pita’s for these gyros. I’ve got to get on it and do it again!
I love pitas, but I could always use a new dressing recipe. Thanks!
Thank you Jeff! I’m always looking for new ideas too!
Love the flavors, colors and textures of this recipe. Perfect for serving for a spring lunch or dinner.
Thank you Liz! I just love simple meals like this too.
You are absolutely right, gyros are always tasty. I love your recipe, lots of colour and they must be delicious!
Thank you Alida!
Love gyros but usually stuff them with lamb, but why not chicken for a change. These look very tempting and I would enjoy one of these for lunch or dinner. Actually a Greek salad sounds good too. Thanks for bringing this favorite sandwich to Fiesta Friday #116
Thank you Judi! Lamb would be amazing too. I have to do that! Thank you for co-hosting this week!
Mmm…I’m wishing I had one of these waiting for me at lunchtime today! I love Greek dressing but for whatever reason, I never thought to try making my own. This looks fantastic!
Thank you Mara!
Yummy! I actually just had a Gyro at a Greek diner in Denver CO yesterday- probably the best one I have ever had!! Got to give your chicken one a try!
Thank you Linda! How fun eating out in Denver! Is their snow gone?
Yep! The only snow we encountered was in the Rocky Mountain National Park – way at the top of the mountain we hiked! The weather was gorgeous the entire long weekend…yeah!! 🙂
Sounds like a gorgeous and fun time!
Yum! I love that you were able to use your fresh pita bread recipe in this dish too. The chicken gyro looks absolutely delicious too! Happy FF, and have a marvelous weekend. 🙂
Thank you Kaila! I have to make those pitas again! Happy FF to you too!
Looks delish!
Thank you Patti! Hope you are having a wonderful day!
I’m bookmarking this immediately, chicken gyros is something I’ve ALWAYS wanted to make for myself from scratch, pita bread included. Thank you Julie, these looks GREAT.
Thank you Jess! Light, quick and easy too!
You can’t see me, but my mouth is open patiently awaiting inserting of your delicious gyros. 🙂 Looks amazing!
Hahahaha Andrea. That’s funny. Thank you!
There’s no end to your bread making skills is there? Love gyros, the photo up close had me salivating. Another great dish Julie 🙂
Thank you sweet girl. These are perfect for out beautiful weather!
I saw these over on Debbie’s site too! They look mouth watering 🙂
Thank you Sarah! They sure caught my attention!
Julie, you are so sweet to mention me and my recipe in this post. Thank you!
I was just thinking about your pita bread yesterday and misspoke when I referred to your “naan” bread. Pita bread is what I meant!
I’m sure your gyros were amazing with your fresh bread! Email me some!!!! 😀
You’re welcome. We loved this recipe Debbie! I’ve been hanging onto it since you made them and I can’t wait to make them again.
Love gyro. Time to bake some pita at home and create the veg version of it..❤️
Thank you Sonal! I would have been just as happy stuffing it to the top with veggies. They were so good.