Greek Chicken Gyros
Published on
February 24, 2021
(Updated April 5th, 2022)
in
•
Mains
A recipe for my take on Greek Chicken Gyros. In this recipe, after being marinated and cooked, chicken thigh is served in pita bread with salad, tasty cheese and a homemade beetroot dip.
The meat in Greek chicken Gyros is traditionally slow cooked on a rotisserie. In this recipe the chicken is cooked on a grill, after being marinated.
Restaurants making this dish using a rotisserie have benefits to those using a stove, especially vertical rotisseries.
The marinate and glaze can be applied to the top of the meat on a vertical rotisserie and allowed to trickle down while the meat slow cooks.
A vertical rotisserie also allows the fat to drain while the meat is cooked.
Stuffing these wraps with as much of the cooked chicken and salad as possible makes them even tastier.
First the marinate ingredients are mixed together in a bowl, then the meat added and mixed in, covered and refrigerated for 2 hours to overnight.
I used to order a similar dish at a restaurant near where I used to live, where they would cook the meat on a rotisserie.
After shredding the meat and adding it with the salad and cheese to the bread, they would usually ask if I want garlic dip to go in the wrap, but I would opt for beetroot dip instead.
Beetroot dip is tasty enough to simply have with fresh bread, so I find it makes a good combination with Gyros chicken wraps.
In this recipe the beetroot dip is made with canned beetroot, extra virgin olive oil, fennel seeds, ground cumin, mint, garlic and lemon juice.
The fennel seeds and ground cumin are first dry-fried in a frypan, then added along with the rest of the beetroot dip ingredients in a blender and blended to make the beetroot dip.
There should be left over dip after following this recipe, but it can be made ahead of time, so can be used within the next few days.
The marinated chicken is cooked on a grill for about 13 minutes, then cut into strips.
The pita bread is placed on aluminium foil and first lined with beetroot dip, then the chicken, tomato, red onion, lettuce and tasty cheese are added to the pita bread and it is folded and made in to a pocket with the aluminium foil.
Alternatively, flat bread can be used in place of pita bread.
The aluminium pockets are put in a sandwich press for about 3 minutes, then served.
Print
Description
A recipe for Greek Chicken Gyros.
For marinate:
- 1/2 cup greek yoghurt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
For beetroot dip:
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 can or 400g beetroot
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup greek yoghurt
- 1/4 cup mint
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For chicken Gyros:
- 4 large pita breads
- 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 head lettuce, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup shredded tasty cheese
- For marinate: Add all marinate ingredients to a bowl, mix then add chicken and cover and refridgerate for 2 hours to overnight.
- For beetroot dip: Heat a frypan on medium-low heat and add the fennel seeds and ground cumin dry in the pan, for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool, then put in a blender and add beetroot, extra virgin olive oil, yoghurt, mint, garlic and lemon juice and blend for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth.
- For chicken Gyros: Heat a grill over a medium high heat and cook the marinated thigh for 12 – 14 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat and cut into strips
- Put a square piece of aluminium foil on a board, then put pita bread down on top. Add beetroot dip to the wraps, then divide chicken, tomato, red onion, lettuce and cheese on to the wraps and fold them into pockets using the aluminium foil.
- Put in a sandwich press for 3 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Aluminium foil is also needed for this recipe.
- You can optionally warm the pita bread before filling them and making pockets in the microwave for 15 seconds.
- Allow an extra 2 hours for marinating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 769