Description
Kalimera’s Famous Greek Chicken Gyros is a flavorful and authentic recipe featuring marinated chicken thighs seasoned with paprika, mustard, oregano, and a hint of mild curry. The chicken is grilled or pan-cooked to perfection, then assembled into warm, pliable pita breads with a luscious homemade sauce, fresh lettuce, tomato, red onion, and crispy thick-cut chips for an irresistible Greek street food experience at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb chicken thighs, skinless boneless
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika (regular paprika, not smoked, not spicy)
- 1 tbsp mustard powder (substitute with Dijon mustard)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano (Greek if available)
- 1/2 tbsp mild curry powder (not spicy, secret ingredient)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve if using table salt, +50% if using flakes)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Chips (Optional)
- 400g / 14oz thick-cut frozen chips
- Pinch table salt or chicken salt, for seasoning
Sauce
- 1 cup plain yoghurt (preferably Greek or Greek-style)
- 3 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise (substitute regular mayonnaise)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp yellow American mustard (substitute Dijon mustard; avoid hot English mustard)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Vegetables and Bread
- 2 tomatoes, halved and sliced
- 3 cups cos lettuce (romaine), finely sliced (5mm / 0.2″)
- 1/2 small red onion, diced (5mm / 0.2″ squares)
- 5 x 20cm / 8″ pita breads (slightly bready kind preferred)
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, combine sweet paprika, mustard powder, dried oregano, mild curry powder, salt, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. Add the chicken thighs and thoroughly coat them with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, allowing a minimum marinating time of 3 hours for best flavor infusion.
- Prepare Sauce: Mix yoghurt, whole-egg mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil, yellow American mustard, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and salt in a bowl. Stir well to blend all flavors and set aside for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Cook Chips (Optional): If using frozen thick-cut chips, cook them before the chicken by baking, frying, or air frying according to your preferred method. Season the chips with salt immediately after cooking. Keep them warm in a low oven at 100°C / 200°F until serving.
- Cook Chicken: Choose your cooking method:
- BBQ (Recommended): Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high. Grill chicken thighs for 3-4 minutes on each side until deep golden with slightly charred edges and cooked through.
- Stovetop: Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat without oil. Cook chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 72°C / 162°F. Wipe the pan between batches to remove residue.
- Rest and Slice Chicken: Remove cooked chicken onto a tray, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 3 minutes. Slice into 1 cm / 0.4″ strips.
- Warm Pita Breads: Heat pita breads until warm and pliable. For convenience, microwave stacked pitas for 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes on high. Alternatively, brush each side with water and warm in a lightly oiled non-stick pan for 1 minute per side over medium-high heat. Avoid crisping to prevent cracking when folded.
- Assemble Gyros: Spread about 3 tablespoons of sauce down the center of each pita. Layer sliced chicken on the sauce, then add finely sliced lettuce, sliced tomato, and diced red onion on one side. Add a pile of warm chips on top if using, and drizzle with additional sauce. Fold the pita over to enclose the fillings and wrap in foil to keep it together.
- Serve: Serve the gyros immediately with extra sauce on the side for dipping and enjoy your homemade Greek chicken gyros!
Notes
- Marinating the chicken for the full 24 hours dramatically enhances the flavor, but a minimum of 3 hours is essential.
- The mild curry powder adds a subtle warmth and depth without overpowering traditional Greek flavors.
- Frozen thick-cut chips are optional but add authentic texture; bake or fry depending on your preference.
- The yellow American mustard in the sauce provides a tangy contrast; if unavailable, Dijon mustard is a good substitute, but avoid hot English mustard as it is too spicy.
- Use pita bread that is slightly bready and pliable rather than thin and crispy to allow easy folding without cracking.
