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Easy Crockpot Chicken Gyros are generously seasoned with onion, lemon, and oregano. A few minutes of preparation then the crock pot does the work!
Table of Contents
- Chicken Gyros in the Crockpot
- What is a Gyro?
- Ingredients to Make Chicken Gyros
- Why Use a CrockPot to Make Gyros?
- What if I Don’t Have a Crock Pot?
- Other Ways to Serve Chicken Gyro Meat
- Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Gyros
- More Easy Crockpot Recipes
- How to Make Easy Crockpot Chicken Gyros
- Easy Crockpot Chicken Gyros Recipe
Chicken Gyros in the Crockpot
This Crockpot Greek Chicken Gyros Recipe is the easiest chicken gyro recipe you will ever make, hands down. Prep time is hardly anything and the Crockpot does most of the work. I love the sauce that goes on these, too. It is simple to make and complements the seasoned chicken perfectly.
What is a Gyro?
A gyro is a Greek dish made with seasoned lamb, veal, pork, beef or chicken. In a gyro, the meat is traditionally cooked on a vertical rotisserie, but cooking it in the Crockpot is easier and more convenient. The seasoned meat is usually wrapped in a flatbread or warm pita and topped with red or white onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce. If you’ve never had tzatziki sauce, it is a must try. This creamy sauce from Greece is made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon, and other herbs and seasonings to taste. Tzatziki sauce is a delicious complement to the seasoned meat and onions.
Ingredients to Make Chicken Gyros
- Butter
- Onion
- Chicken
- Lemon
- Chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
- Chicken broth
- Seasonings (oregano, salt, and pepper. You can also try adding ground cumin, coriander, paprika, an/or garlic for more flavor)
- Flatbread or Pita Bread
- Homemade Tzatziki sauce
- Optional toppings: Tomatoes, cucumber, sliced red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, fresh dill
Why Use a CrockPot to Make Gyros?
My problem with gyros is that sometimes they turn out dry. What better way to make these nice and tender than to throw them in the Crockpot? I wasn’t quite sure how they would turn out but they were AWESOME — better than I was expecting actually. The chicken was perfectly moist and the flavor was infused throughout. Seriously, I will never make gyros any other way again.
What if I Don’t Have a Crock Pot?
You can always keep the chicken whole and marinate in a large bowl or large freezer bag. Add some olive oil and the seasonings in the recipe below. You can bake the chicken in the oven on a lined baking sheet or grill over medium high heat until cooked through. Slice chicken very thin immediately before adding to the warm pita bread. You can also sauté the chicken pieces in a skillet until cooked through. Or go Souvlaki style and skewer the chicken for grilling.
Other Ways to Serve Chicken Gyro Meat
Because I have small kids at home so I made these “kid-friendly” for them by serving the cooked chicken mixture over rice to make a protein packed rice bowl. The next day I shredded the chicken up, put it over the flatbread with the tomatoes, sprinkled some cheese over the top, and microwaved them for 30 seconds. I cut them into “pizza slices” and the kids devoured them! You can also serve the chicken over lettuce with some olive oil and red wine vinegar to make a salad.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Gyros
It is pronounced “yee-roh” or “heer-oh”.
Read More: CrockPot Meals
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
How to Make Easy Crockpot Chicken Gyros
Easy Crockpot Chicken Gyros
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken cut into 1″ pieces
- lemon zest from 1 small to medium-sized lemon
- lemon juice from 1 small to medium-sized lemon
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoon oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 slices flatbread
- 2 tomatoes sliced or diced
- 1 cup Tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Add butter and onions to crockpot. When butter is melted, stir onions around to coat in butter.
- Add chicken to the bottom of the crockpot, placing the pieces evenly over the onions.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth, oregano, and salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on high for approximately 2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours.
- Serve by placing a little chicken mixture on each flatbread and topping with Tzatziki sauce and sliced or diced tomatoes. Optional toppings are sliced red onions and cucumbers.
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- Be sure to use our delicious recipe for the Tzatziki Sauce.
- Use any leftover chicken for bowls, pizzas, or salads.
- No crockpot? No problem! Just grill or bake the chicken instead.
This was so delicious! I loved how it turned out. I had it with red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce. I’m definitely making this again!
Yum, these gyros look so tasty!! Love that it is made in the slow cooker!
Crock pot recipes are my FAV. Definitely trying this one out!
A family favorite! Thank you
Mmmm!!! These are going on the rotating weekly menu, thank you!
Gyros are one of my favorite meals. Thanks for a slow cooker recipe!
Can you make this in an instant pot?
Yes, definitely!
I’m having trouble clicking to get the Tzatziki sauce recipe? Any ideas? Or could you send it to me.
I can’t figure out why that link isn’t working right in the recipe. Here is the direct link: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/easiest-tzatziki-sauce/
Have this in right now! hope it turns out, Smells good so far! I added a bit more chicken broth and an extra breast, also cooking from frozen. Wish me luck 🙂
It doesn’t say weather the chicken breast be frozen or thawed out before putting them in? I would assume un frozen but just want to double check.
You can do it either way– it doesn’t make a difference. Hope this helps!
Chicken was dry…. The tzatziki sauce was very good though!!!
I have this on the go in the crockpot right now…but I had to comment because my name is Echoe as well (my parents threw an e on the end…you know, to distinguish me from all the other kids named Echo I’d go to school with 😉 ) and I haven’t met another Echo before!
I’ve never seen your spelling of “Echo” before – I was named after my aunt who was named after a friend of my Grandmothers. The name continues to go through the family. My sister, Emily, named her daughter Echo. Where did your parents get your name?
does anybody know the nutrients for this recipe
TIA
You can check ingredients on nutrition websites like livestrong.com
Hope that helps!
Approx how many breasts? Don’t have a scale 🙁
One breast can be between 6 and 8 ounces, so I would recommend 3-4 chicken breasts depending on the size. If they are larger, use 3. Thank you for asking!
How many gyros would this make ?
This doesn’t specify white or dark meat chicken… I used breasts, and cooked on low for an hour and 45 minutes — turned out dry and over cooked. Still tastes great though! I added a little paprika in the beginning, then after removing the chicken, turned the heat up to high until the onions were carmelized, and the sauce reduced slightly.
You can use either depending on your taste. I’m sorry the breasts turned out dry. This time and low heat worked for me, maybe try cooking for less time next time. Crock Pot temps can vary. Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Thanks for sharing this fab recipe – I’m making it for our New Year’s Eve dinner! 🙂
Yum! And so simple too. Pinned!
So happy you posted this! =)