Craving a gyro but not sure how healthy of a choice that juicy gyro sandwich is? Worry no more. This Greek Chicken Gyro recipe is one of our favorite ways to get a good dose of daily protein and veggies to boot.
Don't know what a gyro is? Let's start with the basics of how to pronounce this word "GYRO" (yee-roh). Now it's time to book that flight to Greece! Gyro is the Greek word for "turn", referencing the way the traditional meat is cooked on a revolving, vertical rotisserie.
This traditional Greek sandwich is typically wrapped in paper, served with pork, chicken or lamb wedged into warm pittas, stuffed with tzatziki, fresh vegetables and even french fries. The typical chicken gyro is one of the popular street foods you can find throughout Greece. We really enjoyed Pitogyros in Santorini if you ever get a chance to visit Santorini and try an authentic street style gyro.
This recipe is a healthier version of the traditional Greek chicken gyro and while we don't include the french fries, we don't sacrifice on flavor. This recipe combines our grilled Greek chicken marinade, our simple recipe for tzatziki, feta cheese, Greek salsa and warm pita bread sprinkled with salt and oregano. All combined to make a healthy meal.
Ingredients for Healthy Chicken Gyros
Chicken tenders or whole breasts
Grilled Greek Chicken Marinade
A mix of fresh flavors including lemon juice, lemon zest, dried herbs and garlic. Chicken should marinate between 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Tzatziki is a traditional yogurt sauce and adds a tangy yet crisp flavor to gyros. It's a perfect combo of plain Greek yogurt, finely shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic and vinegar. Think of tzatziki as the Greek mayo to these pita sandwiches. We modeled this authentic homemade tzatziki sauce after a recipe we tried at a cooking class in Santorini taught by a Greek chef.
This is our recipe for Greek salsa which is a combo of all the fresh ingredients and Mediterranean flavors we associate with Greece. Cucumber, tomato, red onion, parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil and oregano all combine to make a perfect topping for these gyros.
Feta cheese
In the European Union, feta cheese can only be produced in certain regions of Greece and must be made of pure sheep's milk or 70% sheep's milk and 30% goat's milk. Greek feta tastes very different (in a good way!) than the typical cow's milk feta readily available in the US and has a richer, saltier flavor. It's typically a bit more expensive than cow's milk feta here in the US, so if the pocketbook allows, splurge on true Greek feta. Check the ingredients that should indicate sheep's milk rather than cow's milk. Feta cheese is a healthier choice in comparison to many higher fat cheeses.
Pita bread
If looking for a healthier option than traditional pita bread consider swapping with whole wheat pita bread or Joseph's lavash or pita bread, a very high fiber option. Low carb wraps like Cut 'da Carb are another great option as well. Before stuffing the pita, we heat it on the stovetop in a frying pan, lightly sprayed with olive oil. Flip the pita on both sides so it warms a bit and then sprinkle with dried oregano and salt.
What to Serve with Greek Gyros
We find that these healthy greek gyros are a meal in itself, but if you're looking to add a side dish to the menu consider keeping it light. Roasted sweet potato fries, grilled zucchini, or a crisp salad are all healthy options to partner with these gyros.
PrintHealthy Greek Chicken Gyros
This traditional Greek street food made healthy with grilled Greek chicken breast, creamy high-protein tzatziki, fresh vegetables and feta cheese.
Ingredients
Grilled Greek Chicken Marinade
- 1.5 lbs skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 finely diced garlic cloves
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about ½ a lemon squeezed)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ teas oregano
- ¼ teas sea salt
- 8 oz plain Greek yogurt, low to full fat tastes best
- ½ large cucumber finely grated, moisture removed (Squeeze the grated cucumber between some paper towels to remove the moisture)
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- salt and pepper to taste
Pita breads or low carb style wrap (cut da carb, Joseph's lavash)
Salt for sprinkling
Dried Oregano for sprinkling
Instructions
For the Greek Chicken Marinade:
- Combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and spices in a shallow bowl or ziplock bag
- Add chicken breast to marinade
- Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours
- Heat outdoor grill to medium-high
- Cook chicken on each side for about 3-5 minutes. Move to indirect heat on grill until cooked through. The thickest part of the chicken should have an internal temperature of 165° F when testing with meat thermometer
- Let cooked chicken rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Dice into chunks.
For the Greek salsa:
- Combine all the tomato, cucumber, onion and parsley in a small bowl
- Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, oregano and salt together and pour over the salsa vegetables. Stir and enjoy!
For the creamy tzatziki:
- Add yogurt, vinegar, olive oil, and garlic to a small bowl
- Grate cucumber and place into a paper bowl. Squeeze moisture out of the cucumber bundled in the paper bowl. Add to yogurt mixture and stir all ingredients together
- Salt and pepper to taste
To assemble the gyros:
- Heat a skillet lightly sprayed with olive oil and add the pita bread. Heat for about 30 sec-1 min on each side. Sprinkle with salt and dried oregano and remove from skillet
- Spread tzatziki on the pita and stuff with chicken chunks
- Top with feta cheese and greek tomato salsa
- Enjoy!
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