Chicken gyros combine tender, marinated chicken grilled to perfection, with creamy tzatziki and tomato wrapped in pitta bread. It's an easy meal all will enjoy.

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I know I've mentioned before, but one of the best parts of traveling to Cyprus and Greece with the kids, for me, was that food was pretty easy. There were always some pretty good options that would work for my son, like hummus and baba ghanoush with bread and mains like moussaka and youvetsi.

Tasty grilled chicken gyros were right up there as well. Marinated chicken, a simple fresh tzatziki sauce and tomato all wrapped up in a soft bread, it's something most people can easily love.

I, like many I am sure, think of Greece when I talk about chicken gyros, but there are versions enjoyed across the region. The exact ingredients in the marinade and the yogurt-based sauce will vary, but the idea is the same. You'll usually see garlic, lemon and olive oil in the marinade, but the herbs vary as do additional flavors.

Greek tzatziki usually has cucumber in with the yogurt base, while other places might make it herbs instead. Some places add just tomato, others onion as well, or you may have a chopped salad in there (like Israeli salad). Whatever variation, though, it's an easy and delicious dish.

How they're made

This is a dish you need to think about ahead of time to allow the marinade to do it's magic, but you don't actually need to do that much. You just make up a simple marinade for the chicken and leave it to take on the flavor. Then make the tzatziki by grating the cucumber and mixing it into the yogurt with the other ingredients. Grill the chicken, warm the bread then put it all together.

See just how easy it is in the short video

Grilled chicken gyros with tzatziki is such an easy meal to make and easy to love. We had it with some Greek salad on the side to make more of a meal, but it's also great as part to serve a crowd at a party alongside your favorite sides. Great flavors, its a kind of street food dish that's just as good, if not better, at home. Enjoy!

Try these other international grilled dishes:

Jamaican jerk chicken
Pinchos morunos (Spanish spiced pork skewers)
Sosaties (South African lamb and apricot kebabs)
Beef bulgogi (Korean marinated grilled beef)
Plus get more grilling ideas, salads and more in the summer recipes archives.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Grilled chicken gyros with tzatziki

A simple marinade gives this grilled chicken such great flavor and keeps it tender. An easy meal that all ages love.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: -6

Calories: 539kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

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Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon crushed garlic (2-3 cloves)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried mint
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt + a little pepper
1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 675g, or you can use boneless breasts

For tzatziki

⅓ cup cucumber coarsely grated & squeezed, approx a 3in/7 ½cm piece
½ cup Greek yogurt 120ml
½ tablespoon lemon juice
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ clove garlic crushed (small)
2 - 3 fresh mint leaves , finely chopped (optional)

To serve

1 tomato sliced (2 if smaller)
6 pitta bread or 8 mini

Instructions

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the pieces of chicken and turn so they are well covered. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but all day or overnight also good.
Before you start cooking, cut the chunk of cucumber in half, remove the seeds in the middle and discard. Coarsely grate the rest of the cucumber then gently squeeze most of the liquid. Put the drained cucumber in a small bowl and add the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic (plus mint, if using). Mix together and set aside until needed (chill if any more than around 15-20min).
Warm the grill to a medium heat then put the pieces of chicken on to cook. Turn once or twice and cook until cooked through, a good 3-5min a side depending on thickness.
Once cooked slice up then make up each pitta wrap with a couple slices of tomato, a few slices of chicken and a good spoonful of tzatziki, spread over the chicken.

Video

Notes

(see video above)

Nutrition

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.

Try these other grilling ideas:

BBQ Bacon Cowboy Burgers from Tip Garden
Gigi's Baked Beans from Family Around The Table
Grilled Fruit Cobbler from Jolene's Recipe Journal
Grilled Meatballs and Spaghetti from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Queijo Coalho (Brazilian Grilled Cheese) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Grilled Marinated Tuna with Sesame Rice Steaks and Orange Cucumber Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm