This classic Greek Chicken Gyro & Mediterranean Orzo Salad features succulent, marinated chicken cooked to perfection on a homemade spit, resulting in tender, juicy meat with a tantalizing blend of Mediterranean spices. Paired with a zesty and colorful Mediterranean orzo salad, bursting with flavorful ingredients like tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese, this meal offers a delightful fusion of flavors and textures.
Once the chicken is cooked, you can shave it off the “spit” and add it to a pita to make a gyro with fresh pita, lettuce, tomatoes, and tzatziki. Or you can add it to a Greek salad or just serve it on its own. There are so many ways you can utilize this Greek chicken.
Equipment Needed
You’re probably thinking you will need some special equipment to make a spit roasted chicken at home. But that’s not necessary. Yes, you can purchase a vertical skewer dish which makes it super easy. But you can also make your own spit by cutting a large onion in half and sticking skewers into it to hold the chicken.
Helpful Tips
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight to ensure the flavors penetrate the meat thoroughly.
- If making your own onion spit, be sure to use a large onion that will give a good supportive base to the chicken, so it doesn’t fall over during cooking.
- My chicken took over an hour and a half to cook to 160 degrees F. Be sure to go by internal temperature rather than time to know when it’s done.
- I used 8 pieces of chicken, which made about 8 servings. you can use less pieces of chicken to make a smaller amount, if you want to.
- When assembling the gyro, warm the pita bread in a pan on the stovetop to make it more pliable, making it easier to wrap around the chicken and salad.
- For the Mediterranean Orzo Salad, use fresh, high-quality ingredients to enhance the vibrant flavors and textures of the dish.
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Greek Chicken Gryo & Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) dry oregano
- 1 cup (237 ml) low-sodium chicken stock
For the orzo:
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) orzo
- 3 cups (710 ml) vegetable or chicken stock
- 8 ounces (227 g) cherry tomatoes red and yellow, halved
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil chopped
- 1/3 cup (45 g) kalamata olives sliced
- 1/4 cup (34 g) green olives sliced
- 3 tablespoons (44 ml) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons (44 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 ounces (170 g) feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup (6 g) fresh basil chopped
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, lemon zest, and oregano. Mix well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour (preferably overnight).
- Set up either a vertical spit or set an onion in a baking dish and insert two skewers, vertically.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Thread each piece of chicken onto the skewers, rotating their position so they stack well.
- Cut a small piece of tin foil and place it over the top of the stack so the top piece of chicken won’t burn. I move the foil around to cover any pieces that look like they are getting too charred.
- Place the spit in the oven and add a cup of stock to the base. This will become the sauce. Keep an eye on the base, as you may need to add additional stock if it dries up.
- Bake for around 80-100 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) (it will continue to rise in temperature while resting). Mine took about 100 minutes. I removed the foil from the top about 10 minutes before it was done so the top could get some char.
- Take it out of the oven and baste it with the juices that have run off. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before basting again, and slicing.
For the orzo:
- In a large skillet, combine orzo and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes (according to package instructions). Check the orzo 5 minutes into the cooking, and stir it to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Orzo is cooked when all the water is absorbed and the orzo is slightly al dente. You might have to add more water if the orzo is undercooked or water evaporates too fast.
- Lower heat to low.
- Stir in the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, green olives, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Stir all the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.
- When serving, top with feta cheese and fresh basil.
Equipment Needed
- 2 Skewers
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight to ensure the flavors penetrate the meat thoroughly.
- If making your own onion spit, be sure to use a large onion that will give a good supportive base to the chicken, so it doesn’t fall over during cooking.
- My chicken took over an hour and a half to cook to 160 degrees F. Be sure to go by internal temperature rather than time to know when it’s done.
- I used 8 pieces of chicken, which made about 8 servings. you can use less pieces of chicken to make a smaller amount, if you want to.
- When assembling the gyro, warm the pita bread in a pan on the stovetop to make it more pliable, making it easier to wrap around the chicken and salad.
- For the Mediterranean Orzo Salad, use fresh, high-quality ingredients to enhance the vibrant flavors and textures of the dish.
Nutrition
Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes and currently has a cookbook in development.
