Who knew a tasty, chicken gyro could be so easy? This traditional, low carb Greek favorite is topped with a creamy avocado sauce, loaded with flavor, and is sure to be a quick lunch or easy dinner option in under 30 minutes!
Why This Recipe Works
This chicken gyro with creamy avocado sauce is a low-carb, high-protein, Greek style gyro prepared in under 30 minutes and with all the elements needed for a filling and satisfying lunch. Compared to its popular meat alternatives, beef and lamb, chicken is a great option because it's lower in calories and fat, but higher in protein.
This gyro recipe is a mix of perfectly marinated chicken, tangy greek yogurt, zesty lime and fresh salad trimmings. It’s easy to put together and can be made as a meal prep packed lunch or fresh on a work from home day.
Packed with a plethora of fragrant herbs and spices it gives a punchy flavor balanced out by the creamy avocado sauce and greek yogurt marinade.
Ditch your regular sandwich and level up with these succulent gyros. They’re the ultimate meal when you’re craving some good old fashioned, Greek food!
If you like sandwiches with homemade spreads and sauces, try my Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Sauteed Onions. Made in either the air fryer or skillet, this is another solid sandwich option.
Table of contents
What Ingredients Go In This Recipe
There's nothing fancy about the ingredients for this chicken gyro with creamy avocado sauce. Most are going to be in your pantry already, so make sure to take advantage.
Homemade Avocado Spread
The perfect gyros needs the perfect creamy sauce to complement all the fillings. This avocado sauce can be whipped up using just 3 ingredients, sour cream, avocado and oregano, which combine to form a rich velvety accompaniment to the spicy chicken.
You'll need a blender to make the creamy avocado spread. I used the immersion kind this time, but you can also use a small, rocket-type blender as well. If you need one, you can purchase them through my Amazon affiliate link - the immersion one is here, and the rocket-type is here.
Pita bread
Pita is the ideal gyros bread. Not only does its structure conveniently allow you to pack your sandwich full whilst experiencing minimal spillage, but it also provides a thin bready base which doesn’t overpower the fillings like you often find in standard sandwiches and baguettes.
Chicken Marinade
This perfectly marinated chicken is the star of the show in these gyros. Soaked overnight in a mix of fragrant spices, rich garlic and tangy greek yogurt and lemon juice to give a burst of flavor with every bite.
How to Make This Recipe
Alright, enough talk. It's time to make our chicken gyro - they're super easy. Below is a step by step walkthrough with all the exact measurements of ingredients in the recipe card below.
Marinate & cook the chicken
- Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix in the chicken tenders and let them sit in the fridge until you're ready to use them.
- Remove any excess marinade from the chicken and then pan fry until completely cooked through.
Make the creamy avocado sauce
- Using either a blender, blend the sour cream, avocado, and fresh oregano all together until creamy. Adjust with salt and pepper and set aside.
Assemble the chicken gyro
- Toast the pita bread first, then spread the avocado sauce in the middle.
- Lay the chicken on top.
- Then layer the red onion, cucumber, tomato, and kalamata olives.
- Wrap everything to make a chicken gyro and enjoy!
It's really that simple guys. The next time you need a quick and easy lunch or dinner option, look no further than these chicken gyros with creamy avocado sauce.
Substitutions & Variations
For a more traditional take on this chicken gyro with creamy avocado sauce here's a few substitutions and variations you can make.
- Meat - chicken is my preference over lamb or beef when making this recipe, overall, because it's just a healthier choice. That doesn't mean you can't swap it out though. Often made with lamb, or a combination of lamb and beef, they are both very tasty options when making a gyro. Sometimes you'll be able to find pre-made, cooked gyro meat. If not, there's a recipe from The Modern Proper website that will teach you to make your own...it's easy. Get the recipe here.
- Sauce - I love the way my creamy avocado sauce accompanies these gyros, but feel free to swap it out for a traditional Tzatziki sauce. Store bought is totally fine but if you want to control the ingredients that go into it, don't be afraid to make your own. Here's an recipe from Holly at Spend with Pennies you can follow. Get that recipe here.
- Chicken fillets - some people have a thing against chicken tenders. I get it, there's a tough tendon that runs through them. It can be easily removed though. Want to see how? Check out this video on YouTube from Moola Saving Mom. But, if you want to avoid the tendon altogether, just go with chicken breast fillets. They're nice and thin and a great option for gyros.
- Flour tortillas - I get that it wouldn't be a gyro without pita, but for those of you who want a thinner option, you can sub out the pita for a flour tortilla.
FAQs
For best results, chicken should be marinated for at least 5 hours and anywhere up to 24 hours. If you don’t have time for this then just let it soak up the flavors for as long as possible! Even short amounts of time will make a difference so it’s worth using all the time you have available.
Pita is made using wheat and therefore is not gluten-free, however gluten-free variations can be found in some supermarkets. This type of bread is usually made from flour, water and yeast so is suitable for vegans.
The best way to store your avocado spread is in an air-tight container in the fridge. It will last for around 2-3 days before spoiling. `
Tips & Tricks
- If making for a meal prep or packed lunch, store fillings in an airtight container. A jar works well. Start by adding the avocado sauce, then the chicken, then the salad fillings at the top to prevent them from going soggy. Wrap the pittas in foil separately so you can assemble at lunch for the freshest result.
- If you wish to reduce the calories of this recipe then you could bake or grill the chicken instead of frying. You can also switch the sour cream and greek yogurt for lower fat alternatives.
- To keep with the Greek food theme, these gyros are great served with a classic Greek salad. However my personal preference is pairing them with a healthy portion of homemade french fries! Need a recipe for them? Stephanie at The Cozy Cook has a great one. Get it here.
- The recipe card below calls for most of the toppings to be deseeded and julienned. If you don't know how to do that, here are some helpful YouTube videos you can reference. To see how to deseed and julienne a cucumber, go here. For a tomato, go here (deseeding and julienning starts at 1:13 on the video). For an onion, go here.
Other Recipes You May Like
So, what did you think about my tasty chicken gyros with creamy avocado sauce? If you enjoyed them, I would much appreciate if you leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. And don't worry I'm an Italian from New Jersey...I got thick skin!
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Recipe
Tasty Chicken Gyro with Creamy Avocado Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breast fillet
- 2 tbsp olive oil for pan frying
Chicken marinade
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- juice from a lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- salt to taste
- ground pepper to taste
Creamy avocado sauce
- 6 tbsp sour cream
- ½ piece ripe avocado
- 1 tsp fresh oregano
Other fixings
- 1 piece small red onion julienne
- 1 piece tomato deseeded, julienne
- ½ piece cucumber deseeded, julienne
- kalamata olives sliced
- 4 pieces pita bread can use flour tortilla too if preferred
Instructions
Prepare & cook the chicken
- Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Taste, then add some salt and pepper to adjust the flavor.1 cup Greek yogurt, juice from a lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt, ground pepper
- Once the marinade is ready, mix in the chicken tenders (it's best to let the chicken sit for at least a few hours, but if you don't have the time, let the tenders sit in refrigerator until you're ready to cook them).1 lb chicken tenders
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, try and remove any excess marinade from the chicken and fry until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees on an instant meat thermometer.2 tbsp olive oil
Prepare the creamy avocado sauce
- Add the ingredients for the creamy avocado sauce to a tall mixing cup (if using another type of blender, add to the mixing cup they provide) and blend altogether until you reach a creamy consistency. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Finish mixing the sauce with a spoon. Set aside.6 tbsp sour cream, ½ piece ripe avocado, 1 tsp fresh oregano
Assemble the chicken gyro
- In an oven or an unused fry pan, toast the pita bread on both sides without oil.4 pieces pita bread
- When toasted, spread the avocado sauce in the middle.
- Layer the chicken then top with red onion, cucumber, tomato and kalamata olives.1 piece small red onion, 1 piece tomato, ½ piece cucumber, kalamata olives
- Wrap the gyro tightly and enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken tenders are extremely tender but there is a tendon that runs through them. It can be easily removed though. Want to see how? Check out this video on YouTube from Moola Saving Mom.
- If making for a meal prep or packed lunch, store fillings in an airtight container. A jar works well. Start by adding the avocado sauce, then the chicken, then the salad fillings at the top to prevent them from going soggy. Wrap the pittas in foil separately so you can assemble at lunch for the freshest result.
- If you wish to reduce the calories of this recipe then you could bake or grill the chicken instead of frying. You can also switch the sour cream and greek yogurt for lower fat alternatives.
- To keep with the Greek food theme, these gyros are great served with a classic Greek salad. However my personal preference is pairing them with a healthy portion of homemade french fries! Need a recipe for them? Stephanie at The Cozy Cook has a great one. Get it here.
- The recipe card below calls for most of the toppings to be deseeded and julienned. If you don't know how to do that, here are some helpful YouTube videos you can reference. To see how to deseed and julienne a cucumber, go here. For a tomato, go here (deseeding and julienning starts at 1:13 on the video). For an onion, go here.
- Nutritional information provided is based on a best guess-timate and will vary depending on the brands you use and other variations you take with this recipe. It is recommended you check your exact measurements to come up with your own figures.
Nutrition
About The Skinny Guinea
Hey...how you doin'? I'm Tommy, The Skinny Guinea…just a busy dad who loves to cook. Offering easy to cook dinners and family friendly recipes, while always staying true to my Italian roots!
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You got it! Hope you enjoyed!