If you’ve been following me for a while, you know about my family’s trip to Greece and have probably heard about all of the delicious food that we ate during our time there. And, one of my favorite things that we ate in Greece was a chicken gyro. I believe I had one at three different restaurants during our trip. And, although each gyro tasted a little different from the others, they were all delicious and contributed to the fondness that I now have for these special wrapped sandwiches.
I know that gyros made with pork are popular and, in some countries, lamb gyros are the norm. However, since I never buy either of those types of meat, my go-to protein for the gyros I order at restaurants–or that I make at home–will probably always be chicken. That is, unless I decide to make some with beef or a meat alternative.
Have you ever eaten a gyro? If so, what kind of meat or protein, if any, was included in yours? If you’re a fan of chicken, and would like to make gyros filled with chicken and assorted vegetables for yourself or family soon, please keep reading to see how I make mine! Keep in mind that, if you order any of the below groceries using the links I’ve shared, I will earn a small commission–at no additional cost to you–from qualifying purchases that will help me to continue to share content like this on my blog.
What You’ll Need To Make My Easy Chicken Gyro Meal (Six servings)
*1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
*1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice
*1 Tablespoon of Oregano
*1 Tablespoon of Smoked Paprika
*2 Pounds of Chicken Tenders
*1 Bag of Steak Cut French Fries
*1 Medium Red Onion (cut in half root to tip and then sliced crosswise)
*1 Bag of Italian Salad Mix (for gyros)
*1 Bag of Spring Salad Mix or Mixed Salad Greens (for salad)
*2 Cups of Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
*1 Large Seedless Cucumber, sliced
*1 Cup of Pitted Kalamata Olives
*1/2 Cup of Feta Cheese crumbles
*3/4 Cup of Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
*A Pinch of Salt
*A Dash of Pepper
*6 Pita
*1 Cup of Tzatziki Sauce
How to Make My Easy Chicken Gyro Meal
1. Make a marinade by mixing together the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and smoked paprika in a glass bowl large enough to hold the marinade and the chicken tenders. Fold the chicken tenders into the marinade and toss them a few times to ensure that they are covered in it. Set the bowl aside for now.
2. Bake french fries according to package directions while chicken is marinating. The ones that I used were ready in 30 minutes.
3. While the chicken is marinading and the french fries are baking, prepare your salad in a large bowl using the spring salad mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives and half of the sliced onions. Once all of these ingredients have been placed in the bowl, drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the salad and toss all ingredients to mix the dressing throughout the salad. Set the salad aside.
4. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and then add the chicken tenders once it is ready. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes, flip them over, and cover the pan. Allow the chicken to cook for 10-12 more minutes. They will be ready when the juices run clear and the meat is beginning to get lightly browned. Once they are ready, add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place three of the pita on a microwaveable plate and microwave them for approximately 25 seconds to soften them up a bit and prepare them to receive the gyro fillings. Repeat with the remaining three pita.
6. You can then place one pita on each serving plate and begin to layer the fillings on them, beginning with two or three chicken tenders, followed by the remaining ingredients. Since the french fries should be ready by now, you can also layer on a few french fries.
7. Put a serving of the salad on each salad plate and sprinkle a few tablespoons of feta cheese on top of each salad. Your delicious gyro–which can be folded and wrapped in foil to make it easier to keep the fillings inside–and yummy salad are now ready to be enjoyed!
Possible Substitutions and Notes:
1. I used grape tomatoes because that’s what we typically have on hand, but you could use another variety, such as cherry-, Roma-, Campari– or beefsteak tomatoes (that have been cut into slices or skinny wedges).
2. The balsamic vinaigrette that I used is one of my favorite salad dressings. But, you could drizzle on a little olive oil on your salad instead. If you choose to do that, also consider sprinkling pinches of salt, pepper and oregano over the top of the salad to add a little more flavor to it and then mix all ingredients together.
3. As I mentioned in my introduction, chicken is my go-to meat when I’m craving a gyro. However, I would also like to make some one day with strips of stir-fried rib eye steak or a meat alternative like the seasoned jack fruit that my oldest daughter once used when she prepared a different cultural food for dinner.
