Description
Greek street cuisine shines through this delicious chicken gyros recipe, offering a perfect blend of marinated meat and fresh accompaniments. Crisp pita bread wraps tender, herb-infused chicken, inviting you to savor Mediterranean flavors with each satisfying bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lb (907 g) chicken thighs, fat removed
- 1 ¼ cup (296 ml) whole fat Greek yogurt
- 4 pita or lavash bread wraps
- 6 oz (170 g) feta cheese
- 2 tomatoes, cubed
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1 head lettuce, sliced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 2 tsps red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 cucumber, peeled, grated and squeezed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsps chopped dill
- ½ tbsp finely chopped or minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate: Blend herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil in a container, thoroughly coating chicken pieces and refrigerating for 4-8 hours to intensify flavor absorption.
- Grill Chicken: Heat grill to high temperature, searing chicken pieces to create caramelized char marks, cooking 3-4 minutes per side until reaching safe internal temperature and achieving golden-brown exterior.
- Prepare Tzatziki: Deseed and finely grate cucumber, removing excess moisture with a kitchen towel. Blend grated cucumber with yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice, creating a creamy, vibrant sauce.
- Chill Sauce: Refrigerate tzatziki for 15-30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and develop complex taste profile.
- Warm Flatbread: Gently heat pita or flatbread to enhance flexibility and release subtle bread aromatics.
- Assemble Gyros: Layer warm bread with tzatziki sauce, grilled chicken slices, crisp lettuce, tomato, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Wrap and Serve: Carefully fold gyro, securing ingredients within the bread, creating a compact, mouthwatering handheld meal ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Maximize Marinade Flavor: Let chicken soak in marinade overnight for deep, rich taste that penetrates every fiber of the meat.
- Grill with Precision: Achieve perfect char marks by maintaining high heat and turning chicken at exact 3-4 minute intervals to ensure even cooking.
- Tzatziki Texture Trick: Remove excess cucumber moisture completely to prevent a runny sauce, guaranteeing a thick, creamy consistency.
- Bread Warming Technique: Slightly warm flatbread just before assembling to enhance flexibility and unlock subtle bread aromas, preventing dry or brittle wraps.
- Prep Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg