Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Gyros

The best, easiest dinner recipe is here: Greek Chicken & Rice Gyros. Layer that fluffy, zesty lemon rice inside a warm pita, top with tender Greek Chicken and other tasty toppings like cucumbers and feta sauce. 

A Greek restaurant just a couple minutes from our house serves up the most amazing gyros and gyro bowls. I love their traditional lamb-beef gyro meat, but I also discovered they have a delicious lemon chicken option and they give you the option to fill your gyros with lemon rice before you add your protein and I have become obsessed with that Greek lemon rice.

I’ve started making my own at home and though we usually use it as a base for more of a bowl-style dinner, I think it’s really fun to throw it in some warmed pita bread and pile it high with Greek chicken, cucumber salad, and lots of tzatziki or feta sauce. Such an easy and out of the norm dinner option! 

Here’s How You Make It

1. First, prep the chicken by stirring together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Add thicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover the marinating chicken and put in the fridge to chill from 1-4 hours. (photo 1)
2. Next, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and get the lemon rice going on the stovetop. (While the rice is simmering, your chicken will be cooking in the oven.) (not pictured)
3. Using a fork or tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a greased sheet pan. Bake the chicken for 10 minutes, toss, and then bake for another 5-10 minutes. Then, switch the oven setting to BROIL and cook the chicken 2-3 minutes longer (watch closely so the Greek chicken doesn’t burn) or until the edges just begin to char a little bit. (photo 2)
4. While the chicken is cooking, make the cucumber salad by combining the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Toss the salad with some fresh-squeezed lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. (not pictured)
5. Now it’s time for the best part — putting it all together. Assemble the gyros by filling your pitas with lemon rice, then topping with chicken, cucumber salad, and some tzatziki or feta sauce (or both!) (not pictured)
6. Serve with some Greek Oven Fries as a great side dish. Make the whole meal a lovely Greek feast. (not pictured) 

Why This Recipe Works

Greek flavors — There’s just something about the Greek flavors and ingredients. Garlic, lemon, olive oil, herbs, yogurt, cucumber, tomato, feta, onion — all so amazing and when you put them together they are so delicious and tasty. It’s one of my favorite types of food. 

Easy — These easy Greek gyros are so very, well — easy! I mean, the whole thing only takes an hour and 40 minutes, and that’s including chicken marinating time (although you can marinade the chicken for up to 4 hours if you like). It doesn’t get much simpler or tastier when making chicken gyros, trust me, I’ve tried! 

Lemon rice — My own special take on Greek rice, the lemon rice recipe is so easy and it only takes 25 minutes to make, and tastes loads better than plain old rice. All you need is a pinch of this, a dash of that, and you’ll have a new favorite, easy lemon rice recipe to add to your meals that’s so, so, so very good on these chicken gyros. 

The sauces — Make the tzatziki, make the feta sauce, get some hummus, layer them all on or pick one for dipping, it’s the sauces that really make this Greek chicken and rice gyros stand heads and tails above the rest!

Expert Tips

Wondering how to make feta sauce? It’s easy — simply stir together (or puree in a food processor) the following ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup milk or as needed to thin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• pepper, to taste

• Other amazing toppings for these easy Greek gyros include kalamata olives; whole feta chunks; picked cucumbers, turnips, and beets; pepperoncinis (sliced or whole); green onion slices, and roasted chickpeas. 
• These Greek gyros will last in the fridge for up to five days. Put each ingredient away separately in an airtight container and assemble only when ready. 
• If you don’t have Greek yogurt for the marinade you can use plain yogurt or sour cream. 
• Cut the chicken into strips on the long edge, cutting perpendicular to the muscle fibers to ensure the tenderest cuts of chicken. 

More Recipes You’ll Love

Looking for more yummy Greek recipes? Check out my popular posts for Greek Avocado Chicken Salad, Greek Chicken Power Bowls, and Easy Greek Tossed Green Salad.  

• One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice
• Steak Gyros
• Easy Chicken Gyros
• Meal Prep Chicken Gyro Bowls
• Greek Lemon Rice
• One Pot Greek Chicken and Orzo