# Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki

> Gyros is marinated chicken grilled and wrapped in pita with tzatziki, tomato, onion and fried potatoes. The secret to its tenderness is **yogurt** in the marinade — its acid loosens the fibres gently without cooking the meat the way lemon does.

**Greek Cuisine · 45 min · 4 servings · 620 kcal per serving**

Gyros is Greek street food, and the name means "to turn", after the rotating spit. What separates it from shawarma is that the Greek version puts fried potatoes inside the wrap itself — startling the first time, but it has become its signature.

## Ingredients


### The chicken
- 700 — Chicken breast or thigh, sliced

### The marinade
- 0.5 — Yoghurt
- 3 — Olive oil
- 2 — Lemon juice
- 4 — Garlic, crushed
- 2 — Dried oregano
- 1 — Paprika
- 1 — Salt

### To serve
- 4 — Pitta bread
- 1 — Tzatziki
- 2 — Tomatoes, sliced
- 1 — Red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 — Potatoes, cut into chips and fried

## Method

1. **Make the marinade** — Mix the yogurt, olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, paprika and salt, and turn the chicken slices through it thoroughly.
2. **Marinate** — Cover and refrigerate for **two hours to overnight**. The yogurt loosens the fibres gently, without cooking the meat the way lemon alone would.
3. **Grill** — Grill the chicken on a griddle or ridged pan over **high heat for four minutes a side** until browned with clear grill marks.
4. **Rest** — Rest the chicken five minutes, then slice it thinly. Cutting it hot lets all the juices run out onto the board.
5. **Warm the pita** — Warm the pita in a dry pan for **thirty seconds a side** until pliable. Cold pita cracks when you roll it.
6. **Build the wrap** — Spread the pita with tzatziki, then add the chicken, tomato, onion and **the fried potatoes inside the wrap** — that is the Greek gyros signature.
7. **Serve** — Roll it tightly, wrap the lower half in greaseproof paper to hold it together, and serve at once while hot.

## Tips

- Yogurt in the marinade is the secret to tenderness — it works more gently and more deeply than lemon alone.
- Thighs are more tender than breasts and stand up to grilling without drying out.
- The potatoes go inside the wrap, not alongside — that is the difference from shawarma.
- The pita must be warmed before rolling, or it cracks.

## FAQ

### What is the difference between gyros and shawarma?
Gyros is marinated in yogurt and oregano and has chips inside the wrap. Shawarma uses Middle Eastern spices and the chips come on the side.

### Can I make it without yogurt?
You can, with oil and lemon alone, but the chicken will be less tender. Yogurt does something different from acid on its own.

### How long should I marinate?
Two hours to overnight. Beyond twenty-four hours the yogurt breaks the meat down too far and the texture goes odd.

### What can replace pita bread?
Thin Arabic bread or a large tortilla. Greek pita is thicker and pocketed, but the substitutes work fine.

---

Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/greek-cuisine/greek-chicken-gyros
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-29