Greek inspired Roasted Chicken Gyros made with slow roasted spiced chicken thighs stacked vertically and thinly sliced that’s stuffed into pitas with homemade tzatziki, fresh tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, lettuce and french fries. These gyros have all the authentic flavours and fillings of a classic sandwich but homemade which makes for a fun and delicious meal.

This is a simplified homemade version of a classic Greek gyro made with chicken instead of lamb. The chicken is seasoned with and marinated in its spices and olive oil for 2 hours so that it tenderizes and soaks in some of the spices. I am truly blow away by how juicy the chicken taste and turns out. Chicken thighs are always the way to go whether making gyros, shawarmas, or shredded for large quantities. It’s so much more cost effective and the thighs get nice and thin when you pound them down which is great for stacking and of course soaking in the flavours. For this homemade version, I mimicked a vertical metal spit by using 3 wooden skewers, securing them into an onion half or large potato and then skewering the chicken on. I’ve seen a lot of homemade versions done this way with chicken on social media and just couldn’t wait to give it a go. Because it towers high, it has to cook on the lowest shelf in the oven to allow enough space to fit into the oven otherwise you may need to measure before hand and cut the skewers down a bit to fit.  

COOKING

As a spit would slowly roast and turn in a professional shop or from an authentic street vendor, I turned the meat every 10 minutes so that all the outsides and edges could get crispy and develop a nice crust. This also makes it super easy to shave, it was practically shaving itself when I carved into it. I can’t remember the last meal I had where the chicken tasted this good. I seriously mean it and am considering cooking all my chicken dinners this way from now on!

FILLING AND TOPPINGS

Whether using store bought Greek pitas or homemade- which ever you prefer, there is a plethora of ingredients you can choose. The most authentic being fresh tzatziki, I don’t think you can skip this topping, it’s a must! and very simple to make at home. Next up is fresh slices of tomatoes, red onions, and fresh cut fries. I decided to add a few more ingredients by incorporating cucumber slices, chopped lettuce and extra dill. I like to serve this up family-style with everything laid out and beautifully presented for everyone to build their own and assemble how ever they chose. From extra sauce, to a mountain of fries and chicken- to each their own. 

WHAT TO DO WITH THE EXTRA

Well if you find yourself with some leftovers, it’s great for making the exact same meal for lunch or dinner the next day or turning it into bowls with a side of pita and tzatziki, or serving the toppings over a mountain of fries sorta like a poutine or even a salad for a healthier option. There are many ways to get a few meals out of the leftovers. 

I love this style of cooking, not only is it super fun, it’s healthy, full of fresh vegetables and flavours that all work together for a dynamic dish. 

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Print Recipe

roasted chicken gyros

Greek inspired Roasted Chicken Gyros made with slow roasted spiced chicken thighs stacked vertically and thinly sliced that's stuffed into pitas with homemade tzatziki, fresh tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, lettuce and french fries. These gyros have all the authentic flavours and fillings of a classic sandwich but homemade which makes for a fun and delicious meal.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Additional Time2 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs

Servings: 6

Author: the communal feast

Ingredients

• 8-10 chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 TBS dried oregano
• 1 1/2 TBS smoked paprika
• 1 TBS ground cumin
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• salt and pepper
• Greek pitas
• 1/2 large white onion
• 3 wooden skewers
• toppings: shredded lettuce tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, fries
• Tzatziki:
• 1/2 large English cucumber
• 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup fresh dill

Instructions

• For the chicken, cover each chicken thigh with plastic wrap and pound down into an even thickness. Combine olive oil, spices, lemon juice, salt, and honey together in a bowl and mix well. Place chicken thighs into a large ziplock bag or container, cover with the marinate and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• To make the tzatziki: Use a box grater to shred the cucumber, place on paper towel and squeeze out the excess water. Toss together the cucumber, greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, salt and fresh dill. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the onion half cut side down onto a baking dish, pierce with the wooden skewers forming a triangle. Skewer the chicken thighs through stacking vertically and pour the leftover marinate overtop. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes turning every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Shave into thin slices using a sharp knife if your comfortable holding the skewers with one hand and gently running the knife down the edges.
• in the meantime prepare all the toppings: lay out the chopped lettuce, tomatoes slices, red onions, fries and tzatziki.
• To assemble, spread a generous amount of sauce on the bottom of each pita, layer with toppings of choice, pile the shaved chicken, fries and more sauce, roll and enjoy!