Super Easy Greek Gyro Pita (With Chicken, Tzatziki & Fries!)
on Jul 23, 2022
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Grab an authentic Greek chicken gyro pita from a neighbourhood ‘souvlaki shop’ in Greece or… make it yourself at home. No need for a spit! Just cook marinated chicken thigh pieces in your oven. Then wrap in pita bread with ripe tomatoes, tangy onion, crunchy lettuce, refreshing tzatziki sauce and… fries!
You won’t believe how similar these chicken gyro pitas taste to the ones in Greece, and how easy they are to make in around 30 minutes!
What’s a gyro?
A Greek gyro pita is Greece’s most famous takeaway food. You could say it’s what pizza is to the Italians and fish and chips to the English. In every neighbourhood in Greece there’s a ‘souvlaki shop’ (or two, or three!) serving these delicious pita wraps.
There are usually just a few similar options on the menu, each as delicious as the others. If you prefer you can have ‘souvlaki’. This is chicken or pork grilled on skewers and served either with pita bread, salad and tzatziki sauce on the side or stuffed into a wrap. Or you can stick to a classic ‘gyro pita’ which is juicy slow cooked chicken or pork carved from a tall rotating spit.
There are usually fries as well, either inside the souvlaki wrap, alongside it, or both!
Fun facts
Impressing your friends: In case you’d like to give it a try, gyro is pronouned ‘YEE-row’ in Greek (with a slight roll of the r). So not jay-row, jye-row, guy-row or anything else! It means ’round’ in Greece, after the rotating vertical spit the meat is traditionally cooked on.
Shawarma vs. gyro: What’s the difference? Well, both are pita stuffed with salad and meat traditionally carved from a vertical rotisserie spit – descendants of a Turkish doner kebab.
But while gyros meat is marinated with Greek flavors such as oregano, cumin and paprika, Middle Eastern shawarma meat is flavored with spices such as cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves. Shawarma is also usually topped with a tahini yogurt sauce.
Make them at home!
Now here’s the best news.
There are recipes out there for homemade gyro meat on a spit. I’m sure they’re delicious, but there’s a much easier way to make chicken souvlaki gyro-style with just a baking sheet and your oven. And they’re just as juicy and flavorful.
This of course is in my humble but very well informed opinion, after ‘taste testing’ quite literally hundreds of chicken gyros while living in Greece!
Here’s why the recipe works
- The chicken tastes tender and juicy but with crispy, slightly sticky edges here and there – just like it’s been sliced off the spit…
- … but it hasn’t! All you do is roast small (really small) pieces of marinated chicken thigh on a sheet pan/baking tray at a high temperature for a relatively short time (just 20 minutes).
- For the toppings, you keep it simple like the Greeks do. Stuff thinly sliced tomatoes and onions, crisp lettuce, and tzatziki sauce into Greek style pita bread. Then wrap and enjoy!
- I always add a few fries inside my wraps (like all the best pita gyros in Greece!). Simply throw frozen french fries into the oven to cook at the same time as the chicken.
- This is a great recipe either for a family midweek meal or for easy entertaining. It serves a small crowd (6 to 8 people) and who doesn’t love any kind of chicken kebab?
Ingredients
Chicken thighs: To serve 6 people (perhaps a couple more), you’ll need roughly a kilo/2 pounds of chicken thigh. I like thigh because it’s moist like authentic gyro meat.
Tzatziki sauce: An authentic chicken souvlaki or gyros wrap will always have plenty of tzatziki on it. Either use my very easy 10-minute recipe for tzatziki, or buy some ready-made.
Or try this: Instead of tzatziki, try making a quick ‘sauce’ from mayonnaise and ketchup! (see tips below).
Onion: I usually use red onion which is milder. I slice it thinly and only add a little to each gyro.
Tomato: I usually add 2 to 3 thin slices to each wrap. Use big red juicy tomatoes if you can!
Lettuce: Some versions of gyro pitas in Greece don’t include lettuce but I always include it in mine for the contrasting texture. Crisp iceberg lettuce works best.
Greek pita bread: The Greeks use a special type of thick pita bread for souvlaki. You might be able to buy it from a supermarket where you live, or try this easy 2-ingredient flatbread if you fancy making homemade pita.
Alternatively, use an Arabic style pita bread. Surprisingly, naan bread can also be a good substitute!
For the chicken gyro seasoning (marinade) you’ll need: olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, cumin, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper, and a bit of mustard if you like.
Don’t have a lemon? White or red wine vinegar works well as a substitute.
Hey, guess what? I wrote a whole post on the gyro seasoning – since it’s actually pretty versatile! Check out all the ways you can use it, how to store it, and more.
Recipe steps
The step-by-step guide below should help you make the recipe perfectly first time. Scroll down to the end for the full recipe including ingredient amounts.
Step 1: Use kitchen scissors to chop the chicken thigh into small pieces (around 1cm wide) in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken. Stir well then cover with plastic wrap. Keep in the fridge at least for as long as it takes to prepare all the other ingredients, or overnight if you can.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 220C. Use tongs to spread the meat mixture out evenly over 1 or 2 baking trays lined with baking paper.
Step 4: Roast for around 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, sizzling and slightly crispy and sticky in parts.
Step 5: Either warm the wraps for a few minutes in the hot oven or brush with olive oil and cook in a grill pan (or frying pan) for a couple of minutes on each side.
Step 6: Get ready to build your tasty chicken pita souvlakis! Place your pita on the edge of a square of baking paper or aluminum foil. Spread tzatziki down the middle. Add chicken, then the salad and fries, and finally more tzatziki (if you like!).
Step 7: To close, bring the edges up and pinch together in a cone shape. Wrap tightly in the paper/foil, tucking the end into the bottom to keep it closed.
Serve immediately with a cold drink, preferably outside. Then close your eyes and imagine you’re on holiday in Greece. Perfection!
Tips & variations
- Use kitchen scissors to easily slice the chicken thigh into small pieces. I recommend using disposable kitchen gloves, too.
- No tsatziki, or ingredients to make it? No worries! In Greece, you are usually asked whether you want ‘tzatziki or sauce’. To make sauce for gyros simply add tomato ketchup to mayonnaise until it’s a nice shade of pink. Try it, it’s delicious!
- For an even more authentic Greek souvlaki experience, sprinkle a bit of extra paprika over the top before serving. Feeling extravagant? Add a sprinkle of tangy feta cheese too.
- Don’t worry if you don’t wrap your gyro sandwiches perfectly. It’s easier to wrap them in foil than baking paper. If you prefer, simply pile the chicken and toppings on top of a piece of pita bread and eat with knives and forks. In Greece this is actually ‘a thing’. It’s called a chicken gyros plate!
- Try adding a layer of this incredibly easy and delicious Greek feta cheese dip (tyrokafteri). Alternatively, serve the dip as a simple appetizer with air fried (or oven) pita chips!
- Can you grill or air fry the meat instead? Sure! Simply spread out over your grill or grill pan and cook on a high heat for a few minutes on each side. To air fry, line the basket with baking paper and air fry the chicken for around 10 to 15 minutes. This is ideal if you’re cooking for just 1 or 2, or you can cook the chicken in a couple of batches.
- Why not use your delicious homemade chicken gyro meat to make burgers, a salad, pizza or tacos instead?
Recipe FAQ
Gyros are hand-held takeaway food, which means they’re meant to be eaten by themselves. If you think about it, you’ve already got a whole meal inside the pita with the chicken, salad, tzatziki and fries. If you like, however, you can serve a Greek salad and more fries on the side.
Or browse this list of 21 easy Greek side dishes for more ideas.
As far as fast food goes, gyros are pretty healthy. Gyro meat is usually fattier than souvlaki skewers, but made this way in the oven it isn’t unhealthy at all! In fact there’s a pretty balanced meal inside your pita with meat, salad, yogurt and oven fries all together.
Absolutely! The cooked chicken will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. Then spread it out over a baking tray again and reheat at 170C for around 10 minutes or until piping hot.
Yes, of course. Marinate in a large freezer bag then freeze until ready to use for up to 6 months. Let defrost then continue with the recipe as written. Alternatively you can freeze the cooked meat for up to 2 months. Let defrost in the fridge, then reheat as written above.
Sure! Try making pork, beef or lamb gyros instead! Cook at the same temperature and for roughly the same amount of time as the chicken, until sticky and lightly crisp.
More classic Greek recipes
A souvlaki is just about as ‘classic Greek’ as you can get. Here are a few more Greek must-tries:
- You just have to try these Greek potatoes at least once. Just trust me and do it.
- These oven baked chicken kabobs will remind you of Greek souvlaki – this time platter style!
- One of my favorite dishes in the world is Greek moussaka. I feel like I’ve perfected this easy version and hope you like it as much as I do!
- Fan of lasagna? You’ll love this Greek version – an authentic pastitsio!
- Don’t know what to serve with dinner? How about a classic Greek salad, AKA horiatiki salata? It honestly goes with almost anything!
- Biftekia! (one pan beef patties with lemon potatoes)
Love these dishes? Browse this list of 10 best easy Greek chicken recipes, or see all my Greek recipes.
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Super Easy Greek Gyro Pita (With Chicken, Tzatziki and Fries!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thigh, Sliced thinly (about 1cm wide). I use kitchen scissors and wear disposable kitchen gloves to do this.
For the marinade
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, (Alternatively, you can use white or red wine vinegar.)
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons mustard, (optional)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
To assemble
- 8 Greek pita bread, (If you can't find authentic Greek pita, use either fresh store-bought flatbread or this 2-ingredient flatbread.)
- 2 cups tzatziki sauce, Use either store bought or 2 quantities of my 10-minute easy homemade tzatziki sauce. Check out the separate post for helpful notes and tips, or see the homemade tzatziki sauce recipe below in notes section.
- 2 large tomatoes, (The riper and redder the better.)
- 1 red onion
- ¼ iceberg lettuce, (Or 2 crunchy lettuce hearts)
- 2 pounds frozen fries
- a little extra paprika for sprinkling
Instructions
- Put the sliced chicken into a large bowl. Add all of the marinade ingredients and combine really well. Cover and let marinate in the fridge at least while you prepare the other ingredients – longer if you can (overnight is ideal).2 pounds chicken thigh, ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, 1½ teaspoons mustard, 1½ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper
- Pre-heat the oven to 425F/220C and line three baking trays with baking paper (two might be enough if you have one really large one). Also rip or cut squares of baking paper or aluminium foil to wrap the gyros in (foil is easier).
- While the oven is heating up, slice the tomatoes and onion and lettuce thinly. Make the tzatziki if making your own (see recipe in notes section below).2 large tomatoes, 1 red onion, ¼ iceberg lettuce, 2 cups tzatziki sauce
- Using kitchen tongs or a fork, spread the marinated chicken out on the baking sheet(s). Spread out the frozen fries on the other baking sheet. Bake the chicken and fries for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, browned and slightly crisp in parts.2 pounds chicken thigh, 2 pounds frozen fries
- Warm the pita bread through either in the oven for a few minutes, or in a pan for a couple of minutes on each side. To assemble, place the pita on the edge of a square of baking paper or foil. Spread a big spoonful of tzatziki down the middle. Add a line of meat, 2 to 3 slices of tomato and onion, and a small handful of lettuce and fries. Sprinkle over a little extra paprika.a little extra paprika for sprinkling, 8 Greek pita bread
- To wrap, bring the edges of the pita together, pinching a little more at the bottom to form a cone shape. Roll the gyros up in the paper, tucking the end into the bottom (don't worry if it isn't perfect – it takes a little practice!).
My husband won’t eat chicken thigh meat, could I make this with chicken breast instead?
Yes, no problem at all, Linda! Simply chop the chicken into little bites of breast meat instead. Just take care not to overcook though – I do find thighs a bit more forgiving. The cooking time should be about the same however, but I’d check after around 15 minutes to see how things ar e going. I hope you both enjoy this! 🙂