Greek Chicken Gyros
on Apr 20, 2024
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Takeout WHO??? Once you try these homemade Greek Chicken Gyros, you’ll never want to order Greek food from a restaurant again š.
Chicken Gyros and I actually go way back. Although I am Bulgarian š§š¬, my family and I lived on the Island of Crete for many years following my Dad’s Olympic career in water polo. While living there, I experienced true Greek š¬š· home cooking. My mom learned how to make authentic Greek dishes from the women in Greece, which inspired most of the Greek dishes I cook and share on my page.
Recently, I saw a video of my friend Maria using her vertical gyro spit, and it immediately inspired me to dust mine off š¬ļø, which had been sitting in my basement. I am happy I did because I created the most incredible homemade Greek Chicken Gyro recipe that transported me right back to my childhood and will transport you to those cobblestone streets surrounded by whitewashed buildings glistening under the Mediterranean sun āļø as well!
Why You’ll Love Greek Chicken Gyros
When I say this is the juiciest š¦ chicken that will ever grace your mouth, I mean it! Juicer than girl’s night gossip, these Greek Chicken Gyros are meticulously seasoned and roasted to perfection. The chicken is marinated in a combination of savory, tangy and herbaceous flavours, stacked on a spit and slow-roasted until the exterior develops a slight caramelized char while the inside remains tender and succulent š¤¤. Serve this Greek Chicken Gyro on a warm pita with creamy tzatziki or on top of a salad or bowl – I promise you, you’ll never want to make chicken thighs any other way!
What is a Gyro?
A Greek Gyro, or simply “Gyro,” is a popular Greek š¬š· dish made of seasoned meat (often beef, lamb, pork, or chicken) cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The meat is then thinly sliced and served wrapped in warm pita bread, with toppings such as tomato š , onion, and tzatziki sauce – a creamy yogurt and cucumber sauce. Sometimes, Gyros also include lettuce, french fries š, or other veggies.
The word “Gyro” comes from the Greek word for “turn” or “rotate,” describing the method used to cook the meat. The meat is stacked in a cone shape on a vertical spit, where it slowly cooks and browns as it rotates. This method allows the meat to cook evenly while remaining juicy š¦, resulting in the most tender and flavorful meat.
How to Prepare
š„ Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
š§ In a bowl, mix chicken, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, lemon zest, and oregano. Marinate for at least one hour.
š Thread marinated chicken thighs onto a Vertical Gyro Spit Plate, rotating each one opposite from the last. Cover the top thigh with a small piece of foil to prevent burning.
š§ If you don’t have a Vertical Gyro Oven Plate, create your own spit by cutting an onion in half, placing it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil, and positioning two wooden skewers vertically into the onion.
š¦ Place the gyro plate in the oven and add water or stock to the base of the plate for the sauce.
āØļø Bake for 1-1.5 hours or until fully cooked.
š„ Remove from oven, let it rest, and then cut.
Nonna’s Tip š§
Enjoy a chicken gyro with sides like loaded Greek fries, pita with tzatziki, or on a Greek salad.
Variations and Substitutions for Greek Chicken Gyros
Feel free to mix and match these variations to create your own twist on this Greek Chicken Gyros recipe! Don’t forget to let me know in the comments how it turns out!
- Instead of chicken thighs, you can use other meats like lamb, pork, or even beef. You may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly based on the type of meat used.
- Experiment with different marinade ingredients such as š lemon juice, yogurt, vinegar, paprika, or cumin to add different flavors to the gyro.
- Mix up the spice blend by adding or substituting spices such as paprika, cumin, coriander, or thyme.
- Get creative with your gyro toppings and serve with chopped š tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, feta cheese, or pickled vegetables.
Similar Recipes
Greek Salad Feta Board
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Greek Feta Salad
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Greek Bruschetta
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Greek Lemon Potatoes
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Best Served With
- My Easy Greek Bowl
- Some Easiest Most Delicious Tzatziki
- My tasty Greek Lemon Potatoes
- A beautiful Greek Salad Feta Board
- Traditional pita bread or in š„¬ lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
Common Questions
Yes, but the cooking time will be significantly shorter, and white meat tends to be drier. I always recommend using thighs.
I love my Vertical Gyro Oven Plate! You can do it without this, but it makes it so much easier.
If you donāt have a Vertical Gyro Oven Plate, cut an onion in half, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or foil) and position two wooden skewers vertically into the onion and voila, you made your own spit and donāt need to buy one!
You can choose to omit it altogether or substitute it with regular Dijon mustard mixed with a hint of honey in the marinade.
Yes, you can add yogurt to the marinade and make it your own. However, most places in Greece do not use yogurt for Gyro.
I use Redmond Real Salt, please note that depending on the salt you use, your dish may be less or more salty. Salt is to taste so please always taste and adjust as you cook.
Greek Chicken Gyros
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1.3kg total
- ā cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard
- 6 cloves minced garlic, or 3 very large ones
- lemon zest , two lemons zested
- Ā½ tablespoon salt, you may need less if using regular table salt
- dry oregano, to taste
- 1 cup water, or stock (for the bottom of the pan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
- In a bowl add the chicken, olive oil, honey Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, lemon zest, and oregano. Mix well. You can marinate for a minimum of one hour (even overnight for best results).
- Once marinated, take the Vertical Gyro Spit Plate and thread the chicken thighs making sure to rotate each one opposite from the last.
- Note: if you donāt have a Vertical Gyro Oven Plate, cut an onion in half, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or foil) and position two wooden skewers vertically into the onion and voila, you made your own spit and donāt need to buy one!
- Now, place the gyro in the oven and add 1 cup of water or stock to the base (which will create our sauce).
- Tip: you can pierce a small piece of foil making sure to cover the top chicken thigh as it will start to burn first on the top as it bakes.
- Bake for 75-90 minutes or until fully cooked. Mine took exactly 1.5 hours.
- Take it out of the oven, let it rest and cut! You can enjoy this chicken gyro with loaded Greek fries, on pita with tzatziki, on a Greek Salad and so much more!
Nonna’s Notes
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
HI Nonna….can I use chicken breast if I cut them in half vertically?
Hi Sandra! Yes, you can use butterflied chicken breast, but be mindful of basting the meat with the stock as it cooks, so it doesn’t dry out. (Since breast has less fat than thighs.)
How long would you cook for if you cut recipe to 6 chicken thighs? Thanks!
I would start checking for doneness around 40 minutes, and then every 5-10 minutes after.
Itās was amazing. I didnāt have the spit so used the onion with skewers. It worked ok, but I bought the pan for next time.
You know you love the recipe when you invest in the right pan š
Well so far so good had a taste delish it taking a lot longer then 90 min to get to 165
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Naomi!
Hi Nonna, I’m making this for dinner tonight; the chicken is currently marinating. My question is can this cook slowly this afternoon and then set aside to rewarn after my son’s football practice this evening? If so, would you recommend any temperature adjustments? Thank you! Seems like a super simple recipe that I’m sure will wow!
Hi Kirsten,
I would make the recipe as it’s written and then re-heat it when you’re ready to eat, by warming it in a 350F oven just until warmed through, or in the microwave, or on the stovetop in a pan with some of the cooking juices. Hope your son loves it!
Could you please advise what size pan / vertical grill you have?
Hi Christine, you can find all of the products I use in the recipe card: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SZ1SX45?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzthemod02-20&creativeASIN=B09SZ1SX45&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2MFPZVTYAJPE1&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin
Hello, thank you for the link to the pan. It shows, 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch pans, could you please advise the size of pan in your video? It looks ideal.
Thank you.
Hi there, so the pan comes with all the sizes. You simply switch the skewers as needed.
I made this last night and it was a hit. My husband, who professes to dislike Greek food went back for seconds. I paired it with a Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad and homemade Tzatziki sauce on a bed of Spring Greens. Nice, healthy meal.
Oh my goodness, that spread!! š¤© Looks incredible Pamela! Nice job converting your husband š
In the video It looks like you baste it through the roasting time. Correct. Have you made this with less than 12 thighs? Do I just shorten the time?
Hi Robin, the basting while cooking is totally optional. Yes, you can shorten the cook time a bit if you’re making less chicken. You can check for doneness with a meat thermometer or by cutting a small piece of chicken off and checking that the interior contains no pink.
This was an absolute winner in my house especially for 2 fussy kids! The aroma in the household set everyoneās tummies into overdrive! This meal did not disappoint.
We bought the Amazon pan and definitely well worth it!
We will also try doing lamb! I saw you mentioned lamb shoulder, do you do the same process with that? Any indicative timing?
Iām so happy to hear this Danielle! I can not advise on the lamb shoulder timing, but I know there are a lot of other terrific lamb gyro recipes online.
This recipe is superb, and and flavors are fo fantastic ! I love herbs,Lemon,olive oil,and especially experimenting with sauces and marinades.Life is too short to eat bad or mediocre food.Your recipe is the Bomb and is going into our family rotation, thank you !
Aww thanks Cynthia! AGREED on life being too short!