Chicken Gyro Recipe

This wholesome chicken gyro is a flavor-intense lunch combining savory marinated chicken, crisp summer veggies fresh tzatziki on a warm fluffy pita.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Chicken Gyro, Chicken Gyro Recipe, How Do I Make Chicken Gyro, How To Make Chicken Gyro

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1 15

Servings -6 Servings

Calories 432kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Chicken:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces

Brine:

2 tablespoons salt
1 quart cold water

Marinade:

1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano crumbled

Fresh Vegetables:

2 large tomatoes seeded and chopped
1 red onion diced
1 English cucumber chopped
1/2 a head of romaine lettuce cut into strips

Other Ingredients:

1 cup feta cheese crumbled
tzatziki sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, stir the salt (2 tablespoons) in water (1 quart) until completely dissolved. Place chicken (1 pound) in brine and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) (to heat pita). Wrap the pita bread in aluminum foil and seal tightly.
Meanwhile, make the marinade; In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oil (1/3 cup), parsley (2 tablespoons), lemon zest (1 teaspoon), lemon juice (1/4 cup), honey (1 teaspoon), oregano (1 teaspoon), and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour 1/4 cup into a large mixing bowl (large enough to accommodate cooked chicken later) and set aside.
Remove chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. In a large mixing bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the remaining marinade until evenly and well coated. Thread chicken onto skewers.
Place foil-wrapped pita in oven and heat until warm, about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Cook chicken skewers on the grill or grill pan for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and registers 160ºF (71ºC) on an instant thermometer. Using a fork, push hot chicken off the skewers and into the bowl with reserved marinade. Toss gently to evenly coat; cover with foil and let sit for 5 minutes.
Assemble the Gyros: Place a pita on a piece of parchment or foil, place a layer of chicken down the center, tzatziki sauce, and veggies. Serve immediately.

Notes

Indoor Cooking: If the weather’s not up to par, you can still get great results by cooking the chicken on skewers in a grill pan. Or, you can forego the skewers and cook the chicken in a large skillet. It’s best to cook the chicken in batches though, so that the meat browns instead of steaming.
Size of Chicken Bites: Normally, when I make kebabs, I cut the meat into larger pieces. However, smaller chunks work too. They make this chicken gyro recipe tasty as they really absorb the brine.
Brine: Letting the chicken sit in the brine for a good half hour before tossing it in the marinade allows the chicken to absorb some of the salty water. This gives the chicken a moist succulence that’s really hard to beat.
- Also, be sure to put the hot cooked chicken right into the reserved marinade for an extra layer of flavor.
Marinade: I love this marinade because it’s an easy mixture of simple ingredients. However, fresh lemon zest and juice are mandatory. Don’t bother with that cheap stuff in the plastic bottle—it isn’t the same.
You’ll notice that the marinade is applied twice in this recipe. Can you say GENIUS?! That second application infuses the chicken with an extra layer of zesty flavor and finishes the dish perfectly.
- The marinade is first applied just after the chicken’s been quickly brined, then the second part of the marinade is tossed with warm, freshly grilled chicken. It’s a unique, unusual technique, but that second dip in the marinade really gives the chicken a bright, lemony taste.
- In order to make sure you have enough marinade for that second application, make sure to divide up the marinade right after you make it.

Nutrition