This easy Greek chicken gyros is made in a skillet instead of using the traditional spit. The result is wonderfully juicy bits of chicken meat infused with herbs and spices, served over pita or tucked into wraps with Tzatziki.
For me, this is the best Chicken Gyro recipe because it's so tender and juicy. Also, the flavor is indistinguishable from the chicken gyro that you buy at a grill house. All the spices are there and all that charred, sinfully greasy flavor!
Plus, all you need to make it is a skillet and a couple of minutes of your time!
What Is Gyro?
Gyro is shredded pieces of meat, partly charred, with plenty of fat, juicy, and tender. Traditional Greek gyro is made from thin slices of fatty meat (pork or chicken) threaded on a vertical rotisserie. This rotisserie turns as the meat cooks slowly.
When the outer layer of meat develops a nicely browned crust, it gets cut and either served as a portion or tucked inside pita gyro wraps, allowing the inner part of the meat to keep cooking until it develops a crust again.
How To Cook Chicken Gyros
To make Greek chicken gyro at home, without using a rotisserie, we need a skillet, a fatty piece of chicken meat, and plenty of spices!
- Equipment: A cast-iron skillet is your best option here to mimic the charred flavor from a grill house. However, a plain skillet works well too!
- Chicken Meat: In this recipe, we're using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. In Greece, they're sold as chicken leg fillet. But if they aren't sold this way, where you live, then boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well.
- Herbs and Spices: To make delicious Chicken Gyro meat, you need a variety of spices, like allspice, garlic, and onion powder, paprika, cumin, turmeric, coriander, dried oregano, and marjoram. When it comes to gyro meat, there isn't a standard recipe for the spices used. There is a lot of variation here, so you can swap spices for others that are similar in flavor. For example, if you don't have allspice powder, you can use ground cloves or nutmeg, but in smaller amounts since they're stronger in flavor.
- Marinating: Marinate the chicken gyro meat for at least 30 minutes. You can leave it to marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours if you like. You need to take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. This way, the meat won't toughen from sudden temperature change (tossing it from the fridge into a hot pan).
- Cooking: To make truly delicious and juicy chicken gyro at home, cook the meat on a gentle heat and allow it to char in the pan without turning it too soon.
- Finish off: When you take the meat off the heat, place it in a baking dish or deep plate, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried oregano and marjoram. The oil keeps the meat juicy while the herbs add a stronger flavor and aroma (since they're not cooked). Cover and keep it in a warm oven while you prepare the Pita Bread, Tzatziki, or other sides.
Make Chicken Gyro Wraps
To make Greek Chicken Gyro wraps, you need Pita Bread, Tzatziki, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. Plus, some parchment paper or aluminum foil to make the wraps.
Classic Gyro is wrapped in parchment paper, but it's a bit trickier to use on your first try. So you might want to use aluminum foil instead. Or you can use Pocket Pita Bread and tuck the gyro meat inside.
1.⟶ Take a sheet of parchment paper and cut it in half. Lay one pita flatbread on one side of the parchment paper.
2.⟶ Add a loaded spoonful or a spoonful and a half (depending on the size of your pita bread) of Tzatziki and spread it at the center of the Pita flatbread.
3.⟶ Toss about 2-3 tablespoons of chicken Gyro meat in the center, 2-3 thin slices of tomatoes, and a few slices of onions. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
4.⟶ Wrap. Take one side of the pita bread and close it towards the opposite side. Take the end of the parchment paper and tuck it towards the other side as well, securing the pita wrap. Wrap the remaining parchment paper around the Pita Wrap and tuck the remaining parchment paper in the bottom of the Pita. See recipe video for instructions.
Make Ahead
It is best to serve the gyro on the day you make it. So it won't lose its beautifully juicy texture by reheating it. However, you can make the Tzatziki a day or more ahead (it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks).
The Pita Bread also keeps well in the fridge or the freezer. Just let it reach room temperature before using it to make wraps or gently warm it up in a microwave for a minute or a warm pan (don't cook it, though, only heat it).
Recipe
Easy Chicken Gyros
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil +extra for sauteing
For The Marinade:
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅓ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
To Sprinkle On Top:
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
To Serve With/ Make Wraps:
- 6 Pita flatbreads See here how to make Pita Bread at home
- Tzatziki See here how to make Tzatziki
- tomato and onion slices
- fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cut the chicken meat into strips (about 1½-cm thick / ⅔-inch thick). The pieces will be uneven, but that's okay. Add to a large mixing bowl.
- Marinate the meat. Add all of the ingredients for the marinade, season with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well to spread the marinade everywhere. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Heat a skillet (preferably a cast iron one) over high heat with a splash of olive oil inside.
- Add the chicken and spread it as evenly as you can. Drop the heat to medium.
- Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes without turning it, until it browns at the bottom. Then turn and cover the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes (this will create steam and help the chicken to release its juices).
- Mix a tablespoon of olive oil with the tomato paste, stir this into the chicken, and remove the lid.
- Cook uncovered until all juices drain and there's only oil left in the skillet. It will start to saute again. This time, give it a few stirs with a wooden spoon, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet as you go, so they get mixed in and stick to the meat. You can even break the meat into smaller pieces at this point if you want.
- Transfer the meat to a baking dish.
- Sprinkle with dried oregano, marjoram, and drizzle with lemon juice.
- Cover and rest. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil or with its lid if it has one. Rest the meat for 20 minutes. You can even place it in a warm oven to keep warm until you prepare the pita bread or other sides for serving.
- Serve warm, over pita bread, with tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki, or even fried potatoes as well. It yields 6 wraps or 4 individual portions. To make Gyro wraps, please see the recipe video or picture instructions above!
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