Greek Chicken Gyro Bowls (Printable Version)
Tender marinated chicken with rice, fresh vegetables, feta, olives, and homemade tzatziki sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 3 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 tsp dried oregano
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - ½ tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Tzatziki Sauce
10 - ¾ cup Greek yogurt
11 - ½ cucumber, grated and excess moisture squeezed out
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
14 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 - ½ tbsp olive oil
16 - ¼ tsp salt
17 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Bowls
18 - 1¼ cups cooked basmati or jasmine rice
19 - 1 large tomato, diced
20 - ½ red onion, thinly sliced
21 - 1 small cucumber, diced
22 - ⅔ cup feta cheese, crumbled
23 - 2½ oz kalamata olives, pitted and halved
24 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
25 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# Step-by-Step:
01 - Combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss chicken thighs or breasts in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, up to 2 hours.
02 - Mix Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, minced garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir thoroughly and chill until serving.
03 - Heat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and cook 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
04 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Layer sliced chicken, tomato, red onion, cucumber, crumbled feta, and halved kalamata olives over the rice.
05 - Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of tzatziki sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything comes together in under an hour, and most of that time is hands off marinating.
- The tzatziki tastes like the real thing, cool and garlicky, without any weird store bought tang.
- You can prep the components ahead and let everyone build their own bowl at dinner.
- Leftovers actually get better after a night in the fridge when the flavors settle in.
02 -
- If you skip squeezing the cucumber, the tzatziki will turn watery and thin after sitting for even half an hour.
- Let the chicken rest after cooking or all the juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
- Taste your tzatziki before serving, sometimes it needs an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon to wake it up.
03 -
- Marinate the chicken in a resealable bag so you can massage the marinade into every crevice without dirtying extra bowls.
- If your pan isn't hot enough, the chicken will steam instead of sear and you'll lose that golden crust.
- Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, not the fine ones, so it keeps a little texture in the tzatziki.