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Two chicken gyros in flatbread with tzatziki, tomatoes and lettuce on gray plate.

Easy Chicken Gyros {New and Improved}

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (or 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder)
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Tzatziki Sauce:

  • 1 medium English/seedless cucumber
  • 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt (extra thick - see note)
  • 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • Pinch salt and pepper

Flatbread + Toppings:

  • 6 pieces flatbread or pita bread
  • Crumbled feta cheese, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, olives, red onions, etc.

Instructions 

  • For the chicken, whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a shallow dish or ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or up to 4 hours.
  • For the tzatziki, shred the cucumber on the small holes of a box grater. Wrap the shredded cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring out excess liquid until the cucumber is very dry. You should have about 1/2 cup shredded cucumber.
  • Stir together all the tzatziki ingredients. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill, indoor grill pan, or oven broiler to medium or medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes each side until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F inserted at the thickest part. Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • To serve, slice the chicken and serve in flatbread or pita bread with tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, and other toppings, as desired.

Notes

Yogurt for Tzatziki: use extra-thick plain Greek yogurt for the tzatziki so it isn't runny. If  the yogurt you are using has extra whey on top when opening the container, drain that off before using. 
Chicken: the yogurt and lemon juice help tenderize the chicken - but if the chicken marinates too long, it can develop an "off" texture because of those acidic ingredients. For that reason, I don't recommend marinating longer than four hours (preferably sticking to the two hour mark). Also, it's preferred to use chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Chicken tenders are a bit too "fragile" for this recipe unless you only marinate for 30-45 minutes.