Ground or Grilled Chicken Gyros with Tomato Cucumber Salad & Homemade Tzatziki
Fresh, simple, and full of garden-to-kitchen flavor, these ground chicken gyros are made with seasoned ground chicken, crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onion, and a creamy homemade tzatziki with fresh dill. They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner but pretty enough to make you feel like you have your life together for at least one meal.
Ingredients
In the picture I used chicken I marinated in the seasonings below and grilled it.
For the Ground Chicken
1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh or dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the Tomato Cucumber Topping
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: fresh parsley or dill
For the Homemade Tzatziki
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup grated cucumber, squeezed dry
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For Serving
Warm pita bread or flatbread
Extra dill or parsley
Crumbled feta, optional
Lemon wedges, optional
Instructions
Make the Tzatziki
Grate the cucumber and squeeze out as much extra liquid as possible using a clean towel or paper towels. This keeps the tzatziki thick and creamy instead of watery and sad.
In a bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, fresh dill, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate while you make the rest of the meal. The flavor gets even better as it sits.
Make the Tomato Cucumber Topping
In a small bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Stir gently and set aside.
Cook the Ground Chicken
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the ground chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks.
Add garlic, oregano, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and let everything cook for another 1–2 minutes so the flavors can come together.
Assemble the Gyros
Warm the pita or flatbread.
Add a spoonful of ground chicken, a generous scoop of tomato cucumber topping, and a drizzle — or let’s be honest, a full-on dollop — of homemade tzatziki.
Top with fresh herbs, feta, or an extra squeeze of lemon if desired.
Serve warm and enjoy.
Simple & Rooted Tip
If you have fresh dill, cucumbers, or tomatoes from the garden, this is exactly the kind of recipe that makes all that watering, weeding, and mosquito-slapping feel worth it.
Notes
You can prep the tzatziki and tomato cucumber topping ahead of time. Store them separately in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
The ground chicken also reheats well, making this a great meal prep option for lunches.
Serving Ideas
Serve these gyros with roasted potatoes, a simple side salad, rice, or fresh fruit.
You can also turn this into a gyro bowl by serving the ground chicken over rice or lettuce with the cucumber tomato topping and tzatziki on top.
