Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Gyros

This is what we make on the weeknights when nobody wants to think about dinner. Yogurt-marinated chicken thighs, charred on a grill or under a broiler, sliced and tucked into warm pita with cool tzatziki, ripe tomatoes, and thin-sliced red onion. Under an hour from fridge to table, and most of that is the marinade doing the work while you do something else. This is weeknight cooking at its most practical: minimal cleanup, big reward, and nearly impossible to mess up. That’s it. Greek yogurt does double duty here, acting as both the marinade and the base for the tzatziki.

Quick win. The lactic acid in the yogurt tenderizes the chicken while oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic work their way into the meat. Thighs are the right call over breasts because they stay juicy even if you overshoot the cook time by a minute or two. For the tzatziki, grating the cucumber and then squeezing out as much liquid as possible keeps the sauce thick rather than watery. Warm your pita on the grill for about thirty seconds per side so it is pliable. Lesson learned. Crumble some feta on top, scatter fresh dill and mint, and dinner is served. These also work well as a meal prep option: cook the chicken and make the tzatziki on Sunday, assemble throughout the week.

Marinating the Chicken

In a large bowl, combine one cup of Greek yogurt, olive oil, grated garlic, lemon juice, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat them completely with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to overnight. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful and tender it will be. The yogurt tenderizes the meat while the spices penetrate deeply.

Making the Tzatziki

Grate the English cucumber on a box grater. Wrap the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard to remove as much water as possible. The cucumber will release a surprising amount of liquid. In a medium bowl, combine the squeezed cucumber, one cup of Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate the tzatziki until ready to use. It will thicken slightly as it sits and the flavors will meld.

Grilling and Assembling

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat, or set the oven broiler to high. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess. Grill or broil for five to six minutes per side until charred and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let the chicken rest for five minutes, then slice it into thin strips. Warm the pita breads on the grill for thirty seconds per side. Spread tzatziki on each pita, top with sliced chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta, and fresh dill and mint. Roll up and serve immediately.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Gyros

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• Author: Kalle Bergman
• Total Time: 80 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Chicken gyros at home start with a yogurt-marinated chicken that gets charred on a grill or under the broiler until smoky and juicy, then sliced and piled into warm pita with cool tzatziki, tomatoes, onion, and a scattering of fresh herbs. The yogurt marinade does double duty — tenderizing the chicken and carrying all the Mediterranean spices deep into the meat. It is fast-casual food done right, at home, for a fraction of the price.

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Ingredients

Units USM

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 pita breads, warmed
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 English cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh dill and mint
• Crumbled feta cheese

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Instructions

1. Combine 1 cup yogurt, 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken thighs and coat completely. Marinate at least 1 hour, or refrigerate up to overnight.
2. Make the tzatziki: combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat, or set the oven broiler to high.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess. Grill or broil 5 to 6 minutes per side until charred and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
5. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
6. Warm the pita breads on the grill for 30 seconds per side.
7. Assemble the gyros: spread tzatziki on each pita, top with sliced chicken, tomatoes, red onion, feta, and fresh herbs. Roll up and serve.

Notes

• Greek yogurt in the marinade contains lactic acid that tenderizes the chicken more effectively than most acidic marinades. The result is remarkably juicy meat.
• Grate and squeeze the cucumber for tzatziki — if you skip squeezing out the water, your sauce will be thin and watery within minutes.
• Chicken thighs are better than breasts for gyros. They stay moist at high heat and have more flavor, which matters when you are competing with all those toppings.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 480
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 750
• Fat: 18
• Carbohydrates: 36
• Fiber: 3
• Protein: 40
• Cholesterol: 120

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About the Author

Kalle Bergman

Kalle Bergman is a food writer and media entrepreneur and the founder of Honest Cooking & Travel Magazine. His writing has been regularly featured in publications like Gourmet, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post and Serious Eats. He is obsessed with simple food, more often than not from his native Scandinavia or Spain.

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