Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki

Name: Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki
Prep time: 31 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, left whole; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon; 1 teaspoon (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from the same lemon; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced or grated; 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers to release its oils; 2 tablespoons (30 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt; 1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; 1 small (about 7 oz) (200 g) small cucumber, unpeeled if thin-skinned, coarsely grated; 1 cup (240 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt, cold; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated to a paste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) kosher salt; 6 pitas (360 g) thick Greek-style pita breads (about 7 inches / 18 cm), at room temperature; 2 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thin half-moon slices; ½ medium (100 g) red onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, for oiling the grill grates and brushing the pitas

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy lemon-oregano chicken thighs are marinated with garlic and yogurt, grilled until charred at the edges, then sliced and tucked into warm pitas with tomato, red onion and a cool, garlicky homemade tzatziki.

Prep: 31 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 1 hr 5 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Makes: 6 gyros (1 filled pita per person)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken
2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, left whole
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from the same lemon
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
1 tablespoon (3 g) dried oregano, rubbed between your fingers to release its oils
2 tablespoons (30 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
For the tzatziki
1 small (about 7 oz) (200 g) small cucumber, unpeeled if thin-skinned, coarsely grated
1 cup (240 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt, cold
1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated to a paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
For serving
6 pitas (360 g) thick Greek-style pita breads (about 7 inches / 18 cm), at room temperature
2 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thin half-moon slices
½ medium (100 g) red onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, for oiling the grill grates and brushing the pitas

Equipment (8)

Grill or large cast-iron grill pan, heated to medium-high
Large bowl or zip-top bag (1-gallon / 4 L) for marinating
Box grater
Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth for squeezing cucumber
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs
Cutting board and sharp chef's knife
Medium bowl for tzatziki

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 1 hour of marinating (up to 8 hours in the fridge). Don't go past 8 hours, or the lemon juice makes the chicken mushy.
Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the tzatziki; low-fat versions turn watery.
Make the tzatziki while the chicken marinates so its flavors have time to blend.
If you don't have a grill, a heavy cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat works well (see step 6).

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl or 1-gallon zip-top bag, combine the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and the black pepper.
- Whisk or squish until it forms a thick, evenly mixed paste.
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Ready when: Marinade looks like a loose, creamy paste with no streaks of yogurt
Tip: Zest the lemon before juicing it; a juiced lemon is almost impossible to zest.
2
Marinate the chicken
- Add the chicken thighs and turn them until every piece is thoroughly coated, working the marinade into the folds.
- Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated and glistening with no dry spots
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 8 hours; the acid begins to break the meat down and makes it mushy.
3
Make the tzatziki
- Wrap the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and twist hard over the sink, squeezing out as much liquid as you can (you should get about ¼ cup / 60 ml).
- In a medium bowl, stir together the squeezed cucumber, 1 cup (240 g) Greek yogurt, grated garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, dill and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate while the chicken marinates.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick enough to mound on a spoon, with cucumber and dill evenly distributed
Tip: Squeezing the cucumber is the key step. Skipping it gives you a thin, watery sauce that soaks the pita.
4
Prep the toppings
- Slice the tomatoes into thin half-moons and the red onion into thin half-moons.
- Keep them in separate bowls in the fridge until serving.
- Take the pitas out of their packaging so they're ready to warm.
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Tip: Soak the onion slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain, if you'd like a milder bite.
5
Heat the grill
- About 10 minutes before the marinating time is up, preheat your grill (or a cast-iron grill pan) to medium-high, around 450°F (230°C).
- Scrape the grates clean, then fold a paper towel, dip it in a little of the olive oil with tongs, and wipe it over the grates.
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Ready when: Grates are very hot; a drop of water sizzles instantly
Tip: Keep about 2 teaspoons of the oil for brushing the pitas in step 8.
6
Grill the chicken
- Lift the thighs from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and lay them on the hot grates.
- Grill for 5–6 minutes without moving, until deep golden-brown grill marks form and the meat releases easily.
- Flip and grill another 5–6 minutes.
- The thickest part should reach 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer; for the most tender thighs, cook to 175°F (79°C).
- Discard the leftover marinade.
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Ready when: Charred in spots, juices run clear, and the thickest part reads at least 165°F (74°C)
Tip: If the chicken flares up, move it to a cooler part of the grill briefly. On a grill pan, cook the same times and don't crowd the pan; work in two batches if needed.
7
Rest and slice
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle.
- Slice the thighs against the grain into ½-inch (1 cm) strips.
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Ready when: Slices look juicy, not dry, with little liquid pooling on the board
Tip: Slicing right away lets the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
8
Warm the pitas
- Brush both sides of each pita lightly with the reserved olive oil.
- Set them on the hot grill for 1 minute per side, until warm, soft and lightly marked.
- Stack them in a clean towel to keep them soft and pliable.
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Ready when: Pitas are hot, pliable and have light grill marks
Tip: Don't over-grill them; they'll turn crisp and crack when folded.
9
Assemble and serve
- Spread about 3 tablespoons of tzatziki down the center of each warm pita.
- Top with a portion of sliced chicken, a few tomato slices and some red onion.
- Add another spoonful of tzatziki, fold the pita over the filling and serve right away, with extra tzatziki on the side.
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Ready when: Pita folds without cracking and the filling is generous but not spilling out
Tip: Wrap the bottom half in a square of parchment or foil to keep drips contained.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the grated cucumber as dry as you can; this is what makes thick, scoopable tzatziki.
Cooking the thighs whole, then slicing, keeps them far juicier than grilling small pieces.
Use a thermometer rather than guessing. Thighs are forgiving, but undercooked chicken is unsafe and overcooked still dries out.
For extra gyro-shop flavor, add a handful of French fries or a few lettuce leaves to each pita.

Make ahead

"Marinate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerate. The tzatziki can be made up to 24 hours ahead; stir before serving and pour off any liquid that collects. Grilled chicken can also be cooked a day ahead and reheated."

Storage & reheating

"Store cooked chicken, tzatziki and vegetables separately in airtight containers. Chicken keeps 3–4 days in the fridge; tzatziki keeps 3–4 days. Reheat chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes with a splash of water, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Cooked chicken freezes up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Do not freeze tzatziki or assembled gyros. Leftover pitas keep 2 days at room temperature in a sealed bag."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound to an even ¾-inch (2 cm) thickness and grill 5–6 minutes per side until 165°F (74°C); they dry out faster, so don't overcook.
plain full-fat Greek yogurt → labneh or thick plain dairy-free yogurt. Labneh gives a richer sauce; for dairy-free, use unsweetened coconut or almond yogurt and add an extra squeeze of lemon.
fresh dill → fresh mint. Use the same amount for a more traditional alternative; both taste great.
thick Greek-style pita breads (about 7 inches / 18 cm) → naan or flour tortillas. Warm them the same way, though tortillas are thinner and less authentic.