Homemade Chicken Gyro from Athens Book

Name: Homemade Chicken Gyro from Athens Book
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2½ pounds boneless (skinless chicken breasts, pounded slightly thinner); ½ cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil; ½ cup dry white wine; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; Grated zest of 1 organic lemon; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano; 1 tablespoon dried thyme; Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 6 to 8 12-inch metal skewers; For the Garlic Sauce (if not using tzatziki); 1½ cups Greek yogurt; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 2 cups Classic Tavernisio Tzatziki (or garlic sauce above); 6 8-inch pita rounds; 1 –2 red onions (halved and thinly sliced); 3 firm (ripe tomatoes, cored, halved, and thinly sliced); Optional Finishing Ingredients; Cayenne pepper; Grilled green chiles; Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; French fries (classic Athenian style); Dried Greek oregano

An Adapted Recipe from My Cookbook, Athens: Food, Stories, Love This Homemade Chicken Gyro recipe brings the iconic flavors of Athens straight into your kitchen. In Athens, I write about how gyro—once a masterful art of stacking layers of seasoned meat by hand—has evolved in the city’s street-food culture. While traditional spit-stacked gyro is difficult to recreate at home, these rolled, marinated chicken skewers produce the same delicious shavings you’d get from a real Athenian gyro shop. Made with Greek olive oil, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, and Greek yogurt, this chicken gyro recipe is an easy, flavorful way to cook classic Greek street food for your family. Serve it inside warm pita with red onion, ripe tomatoes, and tzatziki for a true taste of Athens.

RATING

SERVES

PREP TIME

20 min

COOK TIME

30 min

RECIPES

Athens Book

Chicken & Poultry

Main Courses

Snacks

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Chicken

2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded slightly thinner
½ cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 to 8 12-inch metal skewers
For the Garlic Sauce if not using tzatziki
1½ cups Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Serving

2 cups Classic Tavernisio Tzatziki or garlic sauce above
6 8-inch pita rounds
1 –2 red onions halved and thinly sliced
3 firm ripe tomatoes, cored, halved, and thinly sliced
Optional Finishing Ingredients
Cayenne pepper
Grilled green chiles
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
French fries classic Athenian style
Dried Greek oregano

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

Cut the chicken breasts into quarters. Rinse and pat dry.

Marinate

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, wine, mustard, garlic, lemon zest, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, and pepper.
Add chicken pieces, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.

Prep the Oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Thread the Skewers

Season chicken in the marinade with salt.
Roll each piece like a jelly roll and thread onto skewers (about 4 rolled fillets per skewer).
Season again with salt and pepper if desired.

Bake the Chicken Gyro

Suspend skewers over a shallow metal, ceramic, or ovenproof glass dish so the chicken hangs above (not touching) the bottom.
Bake for 30 minutes, basting with pan juices and turning once to brown evenly.

Make the Garlic Sauce

In a bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Shave the Gyro

Remove chicken from the oven.
Lower oven temperature to 200°F and warm the pita rounds directly on the oven rack.
Place skewers on a cutting board and shave thin ribbons of chicken from both ends of each skewer.