Description
This Easy Chicken Gyros recipe features tender marinated chicken cooked to perfection and served in warm pita bread with fresh cucumber salad, crisp lettuce, tangy tzatziki sauce, and crumbly feta cheese. A delightful Mediterranean dish that’s quick to prepare and perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins, cut thick ones in half lengthwise
- ½ cup olive oil
- juice of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning
Gyro Assembly
- white or whole wheat pita bread
- green-leaf lettuce
- crumbled feta cheese
- 5-Minute Tzatziki Sauce (prepared separately)
Cucumber Salad
- ½ cucumber, sliced or chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- pinch of fresh dill, optional
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: Stir together all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl until well combined.
- Marinate Chicken: Add chicken tenderloins to the marinade, toss to coat evenly, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours for enhanced flavor.
- Make Cucumber Salad: While the chicken is marinating, mix cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and optional fresh dill in a separate bowl. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Cook Chicken: Preheat a grill or skillet over medium heat. Use tongs to transfer marinated chicken onto the cooking surface and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until fully cooked through.
- Assemble Gyros: Lay pita breads on a clean plate or surface. Fill each pita with green-leaf lettuce, cooked chicken, cucumber salad, crumbled feta cheese, and drizzle 5-Minute Tzatziki Sauce on top.
- Serve: Fold the pita over like a sandwich or roll it up tightly. Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious homemade chicken gyros!
Notes
- You can substitute dried Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning with 1 teaspoon each of finely chopped fresh thyme, oregano, and parsley for a fresher herb flavor.
- Use an English cucumber for both tzatziki sauce and cucumber salad to keep the cucumber consistent or opt for a regular cucumber if preferred.
- Add sautéed bell pepper slices to the gyro for extra flavor and texture if desired.
- Marinating the chicken longer, up to 2 hours, will result in more flavorful and tender meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 gyro
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
