Home » What We're Eating » Crock Pot Chicken Gyros

Crock Pot Chicken Gyros

Name: Crock Pot Chicken Gyros
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 190 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 red onion, sliced (plus additional for serving, if desired); 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks; Juice from 1 lemon; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves; 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed; Olive oil, salt, and pepper (to taste); For serving: pita bread or rice or salad; Tzatziki sauce; feta cheese; sliced red onion; sliced olives; sliced tomatoes; lettuce; sliced cucumber

Published: Apr 25, 2022 by Blair Lonergan

Jump to Recipe

Loaded with plenty of fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, and Mediterranean flavor, these Crock Pot Chicken Gyros are a healthy, 10-minute dinner for your busiest days! The juicy, tender chicken is delicious when stuffed in a pita, piled high on rice, or tossed in a salad. Finish the gyro chicken with tzatziki sauce, hummus, olives, pickled red onions, or any of your other favorite toppings.

Close up side shot of a crock pot chicken gyro on a plate

What is a Chicken Gyro?

These slow cooker chicken gyros are a simplified shortcut for the classic Greek dish. While traditional gyros are made with meat that's cooked on a vertical rotisserie and then shaved off, this easy homemade version takes advantage of the set-it-and-forget-it Crock Pot method. After all, most of us don't actually have a vertical spit of stacked meat in our American kitchens!

In Greece, pork and sometimes chicken are the most common meats used in gyros. Other countries, however, often use beef or lamb. The gyro meat is then served wrapped or stuffed in a pita or other similar flatbread, along with other toppings and ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, fried potatoes, and tzatziki.

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a pot chicken gyros. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.

Chicken: boneless skinless chicken thighs work well in the slow cooker, since they stay moist and juicy, even during the longer cooking time. If you prefer, you can substitute with boneless skinless chicken breast.
Red onion and carrots: aromatics that sit at the bottom of the slow cooker and flavor the meat as it cooks. You do not need to serve the cooked carrots and onions with the meat in your finished dish.
Lemon: the juice from a lemon gives the chicken a nice acidic component and bright, fresh flavor.
Oregano, basil, and thyme: fresh herbs are always my preference for the best flavor, but dried herbs will also work.
Garlic: for extra savory Mediterranean flavor.
Olive oil, salt, and pepper: to season the meat and enhance the other flavors in the dish.

Adding red onions and carrots to a slow cooker

Tzatziki Sauce

A common condiment for gyros, and one of the most delicious options that you can add to the meat, is a cool, creamy, sauce called tzatziki. Tzatziki is made with Greek yogurt or other strained yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, sometimes with vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs such as dill, mint, parsley, and thyme. You can make your own tzatziki sauce at home using this recipe, or keep it really simple and just purchase a container at the store. I typically find tzatziki sauce in a refrigerated case in the deli section of my grocery store, not far from the hummus.

Squeezing lemon juice into a slow cooker

How to Make Chicken Gyros at Home

Admittedly, these are not authentic Greek gyros. I'm not shaving meat off the spit; I'm not necessarily whipping up my own Tzatziki (although you can easily do so with this recipe); and I'm certainly not baking fluffy, soft flatbread in my oven.

But you know what? This dinner is so full of fresh, healthy, Mediterranean ingredients that nobody cares if they are technically "real" gyros. They're just really good and really easy.

For those of you with picky eaters at home, this is a great way to keep the entire family happy at the table. Just set out the toppings on the counter and let everyone design their own gyros to suit individual tastes. It's a simple mealtime solution that will make your life just a little bit easier!

Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag (or bowl). Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Add the garlic and herbs to the chicken mixture; toss to coat.
Let the chicken sit in the marinade in the refrigerator to marinate for a few hours (or overnight), or cook the meat right away -- whatever is most convenient.
Place the onions and carrots in the bottom of a slow cooker.
Add the marinated chicken to the pot, then squeeze the lemon juice over top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Chop or shred the meat, discarding the cooked carrots and onions.
Season the chicken with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve!

Square side shot of a plate of the best chicken gyro recipe with toppings in the background

How to Serve Chicken Gyros

Serve the chopped or shredded chicken inside pitas, on top of naan bread, over rice, or on a salad. You'll also want to pile on the toppings, such as:

Tzatziki sauce (store-bought is great, or try homemade tzatziki sauce)
Crumbled feta cheese
Olives
Additional chopped fresh herbs
Tomatoes
Iceberg or romaine lettuce
Chopped red onion or quick pickled red onions
Hummus

Pair the chicken gyros with a side of rice, a Greek salad, rosemary roasted potatoes, or crispy baked potato wedges.

Overhead shot of a plate of chicken gyros with a side of tzatziki

Storage

Leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

How to Freeze

To extend the life of your gyro chicken, store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

How to Reheat

Place the cooked chicken (and juices) in a saucepan on the stovetop. Cover with a lid and warm over low heat, just until the meat reaches the desired temperature (stirring regularly). You can also reheat individual servings of the chicken in the microwave for about 60 seconds.

Close overhead shot of chicken gyro on a plate

Chicken Gyros Recipe Variations

Serving a larger group? Double all of the ingredients.
Instead of the fresh lemon juice, add a splash of red wine vinegar to the Crock Pot right before cooking.
Don't have fresh herbs? You can substitute with about 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried basil, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
Season the finished chicken with additional salt and pepper and plenty of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, or fresh dill.
For a stronger garlic flavor, use 3-4 cloves garlic.

Side shot of chicken gyros on a dinner table

Tips for the Best Chicken Gyro Recipe

Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. We find that the dark meat thighs stay a bit juicier during the slow cooking process, but they are both great.
Marinate the chicken with the garlic, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight). This isn't necessary if you don't have the time, but it adds even more flavor to the meat.
Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most -- sometimes they're done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.

The best chicken gyro recipe served on a plate

More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes to Try

Print Pin

5 from 9 votes