Greek Chicken Gyro Bowls (Printable)
Mediterranean bowls featuring marinated chicken, rice, fresh veggies, and cool tzatziki sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken Marinade
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Tzatziki
10 - 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
11 - 1/2 cucumber, grated and excess water squeezed out
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Bowls Assembly
18 - 2 cups cooked basmati or long-grain rice
19 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
20 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
21 - 1 cup chopped romaine or mixed lettuce
22 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
23 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
24 - 4 small pita breads (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to 2 hours to develop flavor.
02 - In a separate bowl, mix Greek yogurt, grated cucumber with drained moisture, minced garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until serving.
03 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until fully cooked and lightly charred. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
04 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four bowls. Layer each with sliced chicken, diced tomatoes, sliced red onion, chopped lettuce, halved Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
05 - Top each bowl with a generous dollop of tzatziki. Serve immediately with warm pita breads on the side if desired.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- The chicken gets this gorgeous char while staying juicy inside, and the lemon-cumin marinade does all the heavy lifting.
- Homemade tzatziki tastes nothing like the store version—cool, herbaceous, and it transforms everything it touches.
- You can prep components ahead and let everyone build their own bowl, which somehow makes dinner feel more fun.
02 -
- Marinate your chicken for at least 20 minutes—this isn't a shortcut step, it's the difference between good and memorable.
- That moment when you squeeze water out of the cucumber? Do it twice to be absolutely sure, or your tzatziki will taste watered down instead of concentrated and creamy.
- High heat and dry chicken give you char, which is where flavor lives; a crowded cold pan gives you steamed, pale chicken.
03 -
- Double or triple the marinade and freeze extra chicken; it thaws ready to cook and saves you thinking about dinner.
- Make tzatziki the morning of or the night before—it actually tastes better as flavors meld, and one less thing to do when you're cooking.
- If your rice is cold and you prefer it warm, drizzle it lightly with water and cover it in the microwave for 30 seconds rather than making fresh rice.