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Tender slow-cooked chicken gyro on a vertical spit with crispy charred edges.
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5 from 2 votes

DIY Gyro Meat Recipe

This DIY Gyros Recipe is about as close as you can get to authentic Greek gyros without leaving the comfort of your kitchen. We're using chicken thighs for a lighter take on more traditional beef, pork, or lamb gyros.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Marinating Time (Minimum)4 hours
Total Time5 hours 50 minutes
Course: Chicken, Dinner, Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine: American, Greek
Keyword: Authentic Chicken Gyros Recipe, DIY Gyros, Greek Chicken Gyros, Gyros, Gyros Marinade, Vertical Spit
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Jessica Randhawa

Equipment

Ingredients

Gyro Marinade

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Tzatziki Sauce

  • ½ English cucumber peeled (optional) and grated
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt full-fat is recommended
  • 1-2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh dill minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Gyro Pitas

  • 4 homemade pita breads or flatbreads, slightly warmed
  • 2 ripe tomatoes quartered
  • ½ English cucumber thinly sliced
  • ¼ red onion thinly sliced
  • crumbled feta cheese optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the gyro marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, paprika, and salt. Stir until fully blended.
    Mixing Greek yogurt marinade with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, paprika, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Prepare the chicken: Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs. If needed, lightly pound thicker parts of the chicken thighs for even thickness.
  • Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the chicken and marinade to a large zip-top bag. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight for the best flavor and tenderness.
    Marinated chicken thighs thoroughly coated in creamy yogurt marinade, placed in a bowl.
  • Make the Tzatziki Sauce: Peel (optional) and grate the cucumber, then place it into a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In a medium bowl, combine the strained cucumber, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice (or red wine vinegar), fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Stir well until fully combined. Cover and refrigerate the tzatziki until ready to serve, allowing the flavors to meld. Tip: Homemade tzatziki can be made up to 2 days ahead.
    Two images side by side: The first image show all of the ingredients for homemade Tzatziki sauce in a bowl and the second image shows a bowl of freshly prepared tzatziki sauce made with strained cucumber, Greek yogurt, garlic, red wine vinegar, dill, salt, and pepper, ready to chill and develop flavor.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Set up the vertical spit on a baking sheet or roasting pan.
    Vertical spit ready to roast stacked chicken in the oven.
  • Assemble the chicken: Thread the marinated chicken thighs onto the spit one at a time, stacking them tightly and rotating the direction of each thigh a bit to build an even, stable column. Press down occasionally to compact the stack and promote even cooking.
    Two images side by side: The image on the left shows a few pieces of yogurt-marinated chicken threaded onto a vertical spit. The image on the right shows all 2.5 pounds of yogurt marinated chicken for chicken gyros stacked on a vertical spit.
  • Roast the chicken: Place the vertical spit on the lower rack of your preheated oven. Roast for 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on the thickness of your stack. (For a 2.5pounds of meat, expect about 90 minutes.) After about 45 minutes, tent the top of the meat with a small piece of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning and baste the chicken with leftover marinade or juices collected at the bottom of the pan once or twice during cooking. The chicken is fully cooked and ready when the internal temperature registers 165°F (74°C) at the thickest point as measured by a digital meat thermometer.
    Tender slow-cooked chicken gyro on a vertical spit with crispy charred edges.
  • Rest, then carve the chicken gyros: Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife, shave off thin slices of the crispy outer layers.
    Thin slices of chicken gyro meat cut from a stack of cooked chicken gyro meat on a vertical spit.
  • Assemble the gyro pitas: In the meantime, brush each pita bread lightly with olive oil and warm in a dry skillet or griddle over medium heat. Warm for about 30-45 seconds per side. Top each pita with sliced chicken gyros, a generous spoonful of tzatziki sauce, tomato wedges, cucumber slices, red onion, and feta cheese.
    Warm pita breads filled with freshly sliced chicken gyros, creamy tzatziki sauce, juicy tomato wedges, cucumber slices, red onions, and a sprinkle of feta cheese, ready to serve.

Notes

Nutritional information: The nutritional information is for the marinated chicken gyros only. Additional ingredients like tzatziki, pita bread, and toppings will change the nutritional information calculations.
DIY Vertical Spit - Skewer Stack Method
  • Stack the marinated chicken thighs tightly onto several long metal or wooden skewers.
  • Stand the skewers upright by anchoring them into a small, heavy baking dish, loaf pan, or into a half onion or a potato placed at the base for stability.
  • Bake at 375°F, rotating the pan occasionally to cook evenly.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 569mg | Potassium: 537mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 302IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
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