Greek chicken gyros with pita tzatziki

A simple and delicious recipe for Greek Chicken Gyros with a classic Greek chicken marinade in a pita wrap with veggies and tzatziki. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or meal-prepped in advance on the weekend for an under 10 minute meal.

As you guys know I’m generally a fan of eating local. I tend to eat with the seasons and embrace whatever is available nearby, however I also love experimentation and sometimes you just need a tomato in the middle of February ya know?!

Especially now given the lack of travel, I find I’m able to scratch that itch through food. One of the places on my bucket list is Greece. C and I had talked about a trip to Greece in 2021 which obviously won’t be happening! So for now we’ll just have to enjoy these Greek Chicken Gyros that aren’t quite the original (I wish I had a vertical spit at home!) but come pretty darn close with this Greek grilled chicken recipe.

It may not be all squash and carrots and all things fall but it’s a great evergreen recipe you can enjoy year round!

What are Gyros?

Technically gyros (or gyro) are a traditional greek meat dish made on a vertical meat rotisserie. Since most of us don’t have a vertical rotisserie (or the ability to go to Greece right now), a grilled chicken gyro will do. Many cultures have their own vertical rotisserie including doner in Turkey, Al Pastor in Mexico and Shawarma in the Middle East.

Gyros can be eaten over rice, on a salad or in a wrap as is the case in this Greek Chicken Gyro recipe.

Greek Chicken Marinade

This is my favorite Greek chicken marinade recipe. While I absolutely love it in these gyros, you can absolutely make greek chicken on its own. Here’s what you need:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs also work great!)
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Dried Oregano
Dried Thyme
Paprika
Salt + Pepper

I personally prefer to marinate my chicken for at least 1 hour but you can also get away with 20 minutes in a pinch or better yet, prep the night before and let marinate in the fridge overnight.

Note: I cook this chicken on the grill but you can also use an indoor grill pan or just a regular old pan and cook on each side!

How to Make Chicken Gyros

STEP 1: Cut chicken into strips and combine with all ingredients in marinade. Let marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour.

STEP 2: Make tzatziki or skip if using store-bought.

STEP 3: Once chicken has marinated, heat grill to medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until fully cooked through.

STEP 4: Chop all veggies and set aside.

STEP 5: Give pitas a quick heat on the grill or stovetop.

STEP 6: Spread tzatziki onto each pita and top with veggies + chicken. Roll up and enjoy!

How to Store + Meal Prep

This recipe is actually super easy to store in the refrigerator. My recommendation is to make the chicken in advance and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Same goes for the tzatziki which will last up to a week. Alternatively you can buy store-bought tzatziki. You can pre-chop your veggies if you like or just wait to chop right before you plan to eat.

Then you’ll assemble your gyros into your pita wraps just before eating. Most of the hard work is the chicken so as long as you make that in advance your dinner will take under 10 minutes to make!