Chicken Gyros Recipe

My Chicken Gyros Recipe will change the way you think about chicken breast dinner ideas. The tender, yogurt-marinated chicken is juicy, flavorful, and once cooked, it's begging to be tucked inside pita alongside fresh veggies and slathered with an easy, homemade tzatziki sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Greek

Cook Time 30

Marinate Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings (6 ounces each)

Calories 374kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the chicken:

2 teaspoons garlic minced
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (see note 1)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note 2)

For the tzatziki sauce:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (see note 1)
1 medium cucumber peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh dill (see note 3)
1 teaspoon garlic minced
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Olive oil

For serving:

Pita bread and feta cheese, tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion (see note 4)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To marinate the chicken:

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover bowl or move into Ziploc bag and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

To make the tzatziki sauce:

While the chicken is marinating, shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and set over a strainer or paper towels (a coffee filter also works well) and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze cucumber to remove as much liquid as possible.
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, garlic, and white wine vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To bake the chicken:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish with oil or nonstick spray and arrange chicken in a single layer. Cover with parchment paper, tucking the paper around the chicken so it is completely covered.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice or chop into pieces.
Serve on pita bread with feta cheese, tomatoes, red onion, and tzatziki sauce.

Notes

Greek yogurt: This thick, tangy refrigerator staple stars in both the chicken marinade and the homemade tzatziki sauce. I'm fond of anything in the 2% to 5% fat arena. Sour cream is an excellent alternative.
Chicken breasts: Quick-cooking and crowd-pleasing, I developed this Chicken Gyro Recipe with boneless chicken breasts as the base. For even more flavor, consider boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Fresh dill: I call for dried herbs in the yogurt marinade, but fresh dill is best to perk up the tzatziki.
Pita bread: Follow my own Pita Bread Recipe if you're feeling ambitious, or snack a package of pita bread (or any other kind of flatbread, like naan) at the supermarket or bakery.
Yield: This Chicken Gyros recipe makes about 24 ounces of cooked chicken, enough for 4 servings, 6 ounces of cooked chicken per serving. I suggest each person make two Gyros wraps with about 3 ounces of chicken and plenty of fresh toppings per wrap.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition