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This homemade grilled chicken gyro recipe is so easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. These Greek gyros make for a wonderful lunch or main dish, and they are loaded with flavor. Make them on an indoor or outdoor grill with all the fixings and drizzled with lots of tzatziki sauce!
It’s so easy to make chicken gyros at home, and I especially love to enjoy them as the weather starts to get warmer. Piled into a pita and served with Tzatziki and fresh veggies, they are such a delight! Even better, they take no time at all to make and with simple ingredients, they really couldn’t be any easier.
Chicken gyro marinade
The marinade is surprisingly pretty simple with lots of different variations between recipes. For my chicken gyro marinade, I stick with Mediterranean flavors and include olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. It’s basic but it works perfectly! The chicken will need to marinate for at least 30 minutes before you grill it.
Pat dry the chicken and pound it to flatten it. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl, add the chicken to it, cover and let rest in the fridge.
How do you make grilled chicken gyros
Preheat your indoor or out door grill, and make sure it’s hot and ready before adding the chicken. If you’re working with an indoor grill pan, you’ll need to work in batches so you don’t crowd the chicken. Cook the chicken on both sides until cooked through.
Make sure to allow the chicken to rest before slicing it. This helps to redistribute the juices back into the chicken to make sure they are extra tender and juicy.
And now you’re ready to serve the grilled chicken gyros in a pita (I used a naan bread below based on availability) with fresh vegetables and tzatziki sauce, if desired.
Tips for making chicken gyros
- Pound the chicken for even thickness. This is always a great idea when you’re grilling chicken so that you ensure everything cooks evenly and finishes at the same time without any stragglers.
- Marinate the chicken breasts for at least 30 minutes to allow it to take on the flavors. You can marinate the chicken for up to 2 hours. When marinating the chicken, keep it covered in the fridge, not at room temperature.
- Before placing the chicken on the grill, let it come to room temperature. This will help it to be nice and tender once it is cooked. Be sure to pre heat the grill too before adding the chicken.
- Use a meat thermometer for perfectly grilled chicken gyros. Take the guess work out of when the chicken is ready, undercooked and it can be unsafe to eat and over cooked it can become dry and tough. Cooked chicken should register at 165ºF.
Frequently asked questions
I like to serve these gyros warm. I let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then serve it in the (warmed!) pita freshly sliced. I find them so juicy and tender like this. You can keep the grilled chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days and enjoy it cold.
This chicken is perfect served in pita, sandwiches and burgers, but it’s also a great way to add extra protein to a salad. Try it on my Classic Caesar Salad or Turmeric Rice Salad for some awesome meal prep lunches.
The marinade for these Greek gyros is really simple. Lemon, olive oil, oregano and salt and pepper is all you need! It’s fresh and zingy and takes minutes to make.
These grilled chicken gyros are a real family favorite; my kids love them and I also like to serve them for cookouts. They are super fresh, super easy and most importantly, super tasty!
More chicken recipes
- Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Chicken Meatballs with Marinara
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Grilled Chicken Gyro recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then please come back to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
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Grilled Chicken Gyro
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon zest
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 4 garlic cloves pressed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and pound chicken if some parts are too thick. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl or resealable freezer bag. Add chicken and toss well to combine. Marinate for at least 30 minute
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Place chicken on the grill for 5-7 minutes. Use tongs to flip over and cook until juices run dry, approximately 5-7 more minutes. Discard extra marinade.
- Remove chicken from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing
- Serve in a pita with vegetables and tzatziki sauce, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I love this recipe with your Tzaziki sauce – I am making it for the second time because it got the whole family approval 🙂 The chicken tastes so good and flavorful, and it is so easy to make. Thanks Yumna!
Such a great combo! I love that! Yay!!
Oregano oil benefits: Nutrition and side effects
Would this work if I don’t have a grill at home? Could I use a pan to heat the chicken instead?
Yes, you could! If possible, a griddle pan will work best.
Just discovered your blog and I love it!! I started my search with ideas to spruce up my boring morning oatmeal and ended up here lol. Was just wondering what kind of grill you used to cook the chicken on?
Yay! Love to hear that! Thanks so much!! Here’s the pan!
https://amzn.to/2RHQHGG
Fast and easy!!! We have leftover chicken (which tastes delicious) and will add it to a salad for lunch tomorrow!
Yay! So glad to hear you liked it! And leftovers are the best!!
Could I also try this recipe with beef?
Yes, that would work!
Made it yesterday and everybody enjoyed it with the yummy sauce. Super delicious.
So what did you use for your pitas? They look so thick and yummy. I’m really trying to cut down on carbs but I think this recipe needs to happen soon!
I used naan bread. That’s all my husband could find at the store but it worked really well for the recipe!
I use naan bread for individual pizzas! I like the Santosh brand.
Love that idea!
Amazing – thank you Yumna.
We had a chicken a few days ago.
During Covid 19 – I have learned how to stretch items.
I was going to make soup – and I still will -but took the breast meat off – and sauteed it with garlic. I slattered the naan bread with tzatziki sauce – added grilled pepper and grilled onion and pickle inside the gyro and of course the sauteed chicken- wrapped up the bottom and bent it so the sauce would not drip out and put it in the oven 350 for 10 minutes to warm it up.
So delicious – definitely a keeper.
My husband – who does not necessarily love chicken – but loves Greek – LOVED this recipe.
Next time – I would add some olives and geta cheese inside the gyro – or make a small greek salad and/or do Greek potatoes.
So so good.
Thank you so much for the amazing feedback!! And love your recommendation about putting it in the oven to warm it up. So glad you loved it!
I made this recipe along with the tzatziki and my family loved it! It’s rare that I make something that makes everyone happy — this was it! Will definitely make it again!
Yay! That makes me soooo happy!!