Greek/Mediterranean food is one of my favorite (maybe top 3) types of cuisine. While this Grilled Chicken Gyro might not be the most authentic Greek gyro, it is packed full of all the flavors I love from Greek cuisine. It also falls on the healthier side being that it's grilled chicken! And I tend to grill out a whole bunch of chicken in the summer.
What makes this Grilled Chicken Gyro amazing?
Hard. Everything. 😉 I love the marinade especially. I also make my own pitas which is totally optional but incredibly easy! And better for you. And the tzatziki sauce of course. Both of these recipes linked below. The plethora of toppings also makes me (and my taste buds) happy.
How to make homemade pitas:
How to make homemade tzatziki (CAUTION: very addicting):
Grilled Chicken Gyro Marinade:
For this Grilled Chicken Gyro easy marinade I use red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, red onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper and the staple of Greek food.... Greek yogurt. Now you can simply whisk together and pour over chicken like that, but I prefer to combine in a food processor (or magic bullet or blender).
I just like the way it grills when the marinade is smooth as opposed to having chunks of onion. But do you. You can marinate this in the fridge overnight or at room temperature 30 minutes prior to throwing on the grill. I typically go the 30 minutes route.
How to grill the chicken:
Grill over high heat for about 8-10 minutes per side but check for desired finish. I like my chicken juicy on the inside but with a little grill char on the outside. Internal temp should be 165. No thermometer? No problem. Pull a breast off, slice in half and check for pinkness. Pink? Toss back on. No pink? You’re done!
No grill? No problem!
You can also prepare chicken in a skillet, cast iron, grill grate or in the oven. Or on a George Foreman! My favorite method sans grill, though, is to sear in some olive oil in a skillet for about 3 minutes per side then add to baking dish and bake about 10 minutes at 400 to finish it off.
Toppings time!
Aside from the tzatziki sauce which I linked above, these are my other favorite gyro toppings! I've got to have some feta, of course. Along with that I love some lettuce (I use romaine chopped thin), cucumbers, tomato, banana peppers, red onion, Kalamata olives and fresh cilantro.
Time for her close up:
On top of your pita you'll place your chicken in a thin line down the center. Top with whatever toppings your little heart desires!
Drizzle with extra tzatziki. You guys, I love this sauce so much I make it almost weekly to keep in my fridge and dip vegetables, pita chips or Triscuts in. It's such a great, healthy snack!
Yum.
Storage/meal prep:
Another thing I love about this recipe is you can make it ahead of time for easy meals during a busy week. Simply store chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and wrap pitas in foil. Throw together for lunch or dinner! You can also make Greek Chicken salad bowls if you'd rather ditch the pita for a low carb option!
What to serve with Grilled Chicken Gyros:
You might also like:
- 1-2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into large pieces
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup red onion, chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1½ teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 teaspoon thyme, dried
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Tzatziki sauce (linked in post)
- Pitas (linked in post, or store bought)
- toppings: lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, banana peppers, feta, Kalamata olives, cilantro, red onion
- olive oil
- In a food processor, bullet or blender add lemon juice, yogurt, red wine vinegar, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Process until smooth.
- Pour over chicken and marinate 30 mins at room temp up to overnight in fridge.
- Prepare pita/tzatziki according to recipes.
- Heat grill and brush grates with olive oil.
- Grill 9-10 minutes per side or until internal temperature is 165 degrees/no longer pink.
- Slice thin once slightly cooled.
- Top pita with chicken, tzatziki and other toppings.
Leave a Reply