Despite the fact that we still have plastic containers filled to the brims with dips and finger foods shoved in the refrigerator, begging to be eaten, I decided last night that it was about time we incorporated a real dinner into our week.
Preferably one without cheese-- you thought you'd never hear me say that, right?-- since I've eaten about 15 metric tons of the stuff in the past few days. Perhaps even something with lean chicken breast and refreshing raw veggies to really give it the element of surprise, and maybe even woo my body into forgiving me for my dietary deviance. And definitely something quick and tasty, because those dips were beginning to sound mighty appealing as I got hungrier.
Something like 30 Minute Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki.
When it comes to using fresh and tangy ingredients, there's nothing I crave more than a good gyro. Though I don't have a spit at home to make shaved beef & lamb gyro meat, I can whip together some chicken with Greek-inspired flavors to fit snugly in between warm pita, along with red onion, cucumber, tomato, crisp lettuce, and of course, plenty of cooling tzatziki. And that's exactly what I did.
I like to use chicken strips because smaller pieces of chicken = more surface area for the spices, herbs, and liquids to coat. Since there's no time for hours-long marination with this recipe, I use a heavy hand of seasonings and bright lemon juice on the chicken. I let it sit as I mix together the tzatziki ingredients, and then cook the chicken in a very hot grill pan for a few minutes on each side. If it sounds super simple, that's because it is. Remember, these are 30 Minute Chicken Gyros we're talking about here!
By the way, you might have noticed that I've made a few 30 minute and/or simple recipes already since 2017 began, which is slightly out-of-character since I'm one of those "go big or go home" types. But I decided to challenge myself this year by incorporating a ton of accessible and easy dishes into my routine without sacrificing great flavor.
I think I'm doing pretty well so far, what do you think?
If these 30 Minute Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki are any indication, I have to be on the right track, right?
I suppose you can't tell me for sure until you try them, so let me go ahead and get to the recipe. And as per usual, when you make these chicken gyros, don't forget to take a picture and tag #hostthetoast on Instagram to show them off! I'm looking forward to drooling over yours.
30 Minute Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Lemon Chicken:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast strips
For the Tzatziki:
- 1 large cucumber, grated, squeezed of excess water
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
To serve:
- 6 pita flatbreads
- Green leaf or romaine lettuce
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the Lemon Chicken ingredients except for the chicken. Stir until evenly combined. Toss the chicken in the mixture until well-coated and set aside.
- Meanwhile, combine all of the Tzatziki ingredients and set aside.
- Heat a cast iron grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the chicken (in batches if necessary), until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
- Serve the chicken on warmed pita with lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber slices, and plenty of tzatziki, to top.
- Prep Time: 18 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
Dave says
Looks great I will try this tonight since its going to be 80 degrees today in So Cal
Jamal says
This one of the best dishes I've ever made. It's extremely fool proof. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Conda Walsh says
I made this last night for dinner. I've always love gyros but was to intimidated to make them myself. These were EASY, and so tasty, it will be a regular at our house. I had a piece of the chicken this morning for breakfast and it's even more flavorful, if possible than it was last night. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Katie says
I completely agree with the review above. I made these tonight and they are fantastic! The zesty flavor of the chicken combined with the refreshing tzatziki sauce is out of this world. The chicken was very tender. The crunch of the romaine topping just added to all of the textural and flavorful variety in this dish! I can’t wait to make it again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Beth says
My sister made this for a family gathering and it wa a hit! Had to have her share it to add to my collection of favorites! It’s delicious and has great flavor thanks!,
Nicole says
I made this last night And my husband and kids gobbled it up! It makes your mouth dance with the flavours. It was a huge hit!!! Def added to our family menu!!! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
Fern says
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make and my 12 yr old boy loved. It!
Arin says
So good! My family had it for dinner last night and loved it! This will be on my menu again.
Jenny M says
Made this tonight for dinner, it was soooo delicious. The best part is, it was sooo quick and easy too!! Will definitely be making it again!
Kendall says
I have made this probably five times now. It is so simple to make and absolutely delicious! My family loves it and it had become over of our regular meals to make!
Maria says
Wow, these were delicious. I was missing a ton of ingredients - had to sub mayo for Greek yogurt and didn’t have the cucumbers for taziki (which at that point I was like- why should I even try??)Glad I went for it anyway because this recipe is truly resilient. It was absolutely delicious. Flavorful Greek tasting chicken, and the dill and garlic were amazing together despite everything I was lacking. Also- so quick!! Thank you!
Erica says
Love at first bite! I have made this recipe several times since finding this gem and now this is one of my family's favorite meals. This is a no fail must try recipe.
Nancy says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent! I prepared everything ahead of time this morning and marinaded the chicken in a bag until I cooked it. Is definitely a "do-over"!
Morgan says
I'm so glad to hear it Nancy!
Donna says
Made this tonight. Wow, absolutely delicious. I will definitely make it again. You know it’s good when both your teenager boys go back for seconds