Grilled Chicken Gyros using an Outdoor Griddle

These grilled chicken gyros are exactly why I love my outdoor griddle. Fantastic, tender, flavor-packed chicken. Warm, toasted pitas. A quick-and-easy Greek-inspired salad. And of course, tzatziki sauce. This was one great dish and one we’ll make again and again.

Grilled Chicken Gyros using an Outdoor Griddle

Happy And Happier

The chicken for these grilled chicken gyros using an outdoor griddle needs a bit of time to marinate. Go for 2 hours minimum. Twelve is even better. At most, go 24 hours. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs because they have the most flavor thanks to all that fat. If you’re leaning towards the healthier side you can certainly use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. If they are particularly thick you may want to slice or butterfly them before marinating so they absorb maximum flavor.

The recipe for the tzatziki makes a lot. A big batch. So when it comes time to make your gyros, load up. Or serve some on the side for dipping pita chips!

I use this countertop shredder/grater to grate the cucumber. It does a fantastic job and boy, is it ever easy to clean. I won’t miss my old box grater after using this fun tool!

Also try my ground beef nachos, also made on the outdoor griddle!

Grilled Chicken Gyros
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Chicken Gyros using an Outdoor Griddle

Tremendous flavor in every bite!
Course Main
Cuisine Greek
Keyword griddle, gyro
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 611kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken

For the tzatziki

For the salad

  • 3 tomatoes seeds removed, diced
  • 3 cucumbers peeled, seeds removed, diced
  • ½ red onion chopped fine
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper

For the gyros

  • 6 pita breads warmed

Instructions

For the chicken

  • Place the chicken into a large resealable bag or container.
  • Whisk together the remaining chicken ingredients and add to the chicken.
  • Toss to coat and seal. Refrigerate for 2-12 hours, turning occasionally.

For the tzatziki

  • Grate the cucumber using a box grater or hand grater.
  • Place the grated cucumber into a paper towel or cheese cloth and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.
  • Transfer the cucumber to a bowl and add the remaining tzatziki ingredients. Stir and let rest for 20 minutes.

For the salad

  • Combine all of the salad ingredients in a bowl.

For serving

  • Preheat your outdoor griddle on medium high.
  • Drizzle a little oil onto the griddle.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place onto the griddle.
  • Grill for 2-3 minutes per side until done. Thicker pieces may take longer.
  • Remove to a plate and cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the grill / fry pan onto a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Chop or slice the chicken as desired.
  • If your chicken thighs are large, you may need to cut them. Mine were small.
  • Lay the pita breads on parchment paper squares that are slightly larger than the pitas.
  • Add some salad to each of the pita breads. Add the chicken and tzatziki (there'll be plenty, so load up)!.
  • Gently roll the pitas up, enclosing them in the parchment paper.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 936mg | Potassium: 997mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1046IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chicken Shawarma

This chicken shawarma recipe from Chef Richard Blais has quickly become a favorite lunchtime dish for us. It takes absolutely no time to make and uses ingredients I often have on hand. The chicken is fantastic, thanks to a Mediterranean-inspired rub, and it’s very tender (chicken thighs are another favorite in our house). And the yogurt sauce is fantastic, cooling and slightly sour. All wrapped in a warm pita. This dish gives our local gyro joint a run for its money!

Chicken Shawarma

Fat Is Flavor

You could substitute boneless skinless breasts when making chicken shawarma, but I guarantee that the end result won’t be as good. Thighs have more fat and more flavorful. And they’re super tender. If you do use breasts do not overcook them or they’ll quickly become tough.

Cook ‘Em Indoors Or Out

You could make the chicken indoors instead, using a Dutch oven or a skillet. Of course it won’t pick up that great grill flavor and aroma, but the marinade will make up for that. Just get the Dutch oven or skillet nice and hot and add the chicken. Cook a few minutes on each side, flipping once, until you get a little color and the internal temperature reaches 175 F.

Also try my grilled meatball gyros.

Chicken Shawarma
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5 from 1 vote

Chicken Shawarma

This chicken shawarma gives our local gyro joint a run for it’s money!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, Indian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 515kcal
Author Based on a recipe from Richard Blais

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade

For the yogurt sauce

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1 clove garlic minced

For the pitas

  • 6 pitas halved
  • ¼ cup mint chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

For the chicken marinade

  • In a bowl, whisk together the oil, cumin, paprika, allspice, turmeric, garlic powder and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the chicken thighs, turning to coat. Set aside.
  • Fire up grill for direct and indirect cooking.
  • Shake off any excess marinade from the chicken and place the thighs onto the grill over direct heat. Note that the marinade contains oil which might cause flare-ups. If you do encounter a flare-up simply move the chicken to indirect heat until it stops.
  • Cook chicken until lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 175 F.
  • Transfer chicken to platter. Cover and let rest 5 minutes.

For the yogurt sauce

  • Whisk together the yogurt, lime and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the pitas

  • Slice chicken into strips and divide between the pitas.
  • Add chopped mint and cilantro and the yogurt sauce.

Notes

You can make these using chicken breasts, but they are much better made with dark meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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