Grilled Chicken Gyros
Savory marinated chicken topped with a fresh tomato-cucumber salsa and homemade tzatziki. Satisfy all your dinner cravings with this restaurant-worthy recipe from Twin Cities food blogger greens & chocolate!
Back when I was in graduate school in Omaha, my husband (at the time, my very new boyfriend) and I loved to hit up a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Amsterdam. Obviously, my husband was trying to sweep me off my feet.
Not only was the place a hole in the wall, but there also was no place to sit inside. The only (but very important) reason we kept going back was the food. Oh, it was so good! They had the BEST chicken gyro I’ve ever had and don’t even get me started on their curry fries. Okay, I’m already started on the curry fries so let me tell you about them.
They were thin, crispy, greasy fries dusted with a blend of curry spices served with a curry mayonnaise. There aren’t many reasons I would go back to Omaha, but the chicken gyro and curry fries are one of them.
These Grilled Chicken Gyros are my attempt to recreate Amsterdam’s epic chicken gyro. The ingredients are quite simple, really, but there are a few different (and very crucial) components.
First, the bread that you use for the wrap is crucial. I’ve had some bad pita in my day and unless I’m making my own pita, I actually prefer to use naan bread when making my gyros. Naan is a perfect size to act as a gyro wrap and is super chewy and fluffy. Next, the tzatziki. I make mine with just plain Greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon juice, fresh dill and garlic. So simple, yet so delicious!
The tomato cucumber “salsa” gives the gyro a fresh taste and I love the pop of flavor that comes from the parsley. Lastly, the chicken. I like to marinate chunks of chicken overnight in a mixture of Greek yogurt, oregano, lemon zest, garlic and red wine vinegar. This makes sure the chicken stays incredibly tender when you are cooking it.
And that’s it! A few components and one outstanding dish. It’s so good that I wouldn’t have to even consider going back to Omaha if it weren’t for those curry fries.
Grilled Chicken Gyros
4 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the chicken:
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into one-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
For the tzatziki:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 small cucumber, skin peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
For the tomato cucumber salsa:
1 large tomato, diced
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
½ red onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 pita pockets or naan breads
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces with olive oil, yogurt, red wine vinegar, lemon zest, oregano and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Let marinate for 1-2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Make the tzatziki. Strain the shredded cucumber by placing it in a paper towel and squeezing out the excess liquid. Combine all tzatziki ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make the tomato cucumber salsa by combining diced tomato, diced cucumber, red onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- When you are ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken cubes on a skewer or in a grill pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, rotating so each side is cooked, until cooked through.
- Place the pita or naan on the grill for the last 1-2 minutes to warm it up and give it some grill marks.
- Assemble your pitas by placing chicken cubes, tomato cucumber salsa and tzatziki in each pita/naan. Enjoy!