Chicken Gyros Recipe - Tastes Better from Scratch (2024)

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Chicken Marinade:

• ▢ 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts*
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (or use regular)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes , or more, to taste

Tzatziki Sauce:

• ▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• ▢ 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• ▢ 1 inch piece of an english cucumber , peeled and finely diced

For Serving:

• ▢ 6 pitas , or flatbreads
• ▢ 1 small romaine heart , chopped
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
• ▢ 1/2 of a red onion , thinly sliced
• ▢ 1/2 of a English cucumber , thinly sliced
• ▢ crumbled feta cheese , optional

• Tzatziki sauce: combine yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir in diced cucumber and season to taste with salt and pepper.Refrigerate.

• Chicken Marinade: Add chicken to a large bowl or ziplock bag. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. Stir well to coat and marinate for 1-4 hours.

• Grill: Heat grill to medium and oil the grates. Remove chicken from marinade, letting any excess sauce drip off.Grill chicken for a few minutes on each side, flipping once, until cooked through. Remove to a plate to rest before chopping into bite-size pieces.

• Assemble Gyros: Toast or warm your pitas. Layer with a big scoop of chopped chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber and tzatziki.

Chicken: I like to buy chicken breast filets, or if the chicken breasts are really thick you can slice them in half, lengthwise (called “butterfly”) to make two thinner pieces.

Make Ahead Instructions: The tzatziki sauce and marinade can be mixed and stored in separate airtight containers for up to 2-3 days in advance. Chop the onion, cucumber, tomato and romaine a few hours in advance to make dinner go even quicker.

Freezing Instructions: Place raw chicken (preferred method) in marinade in an airtight freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook according to recipe. Leftover cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to 3 months.