Instant Pot Greek Gyros

These Instant Pot Greek Gyros are a fun way to introduce new dishes to your family without going too strange. A very aromatic dish with no lack of flavor due to the plethora of spices. This dinner is four layers of flavor starting with warm pita bread topped with gyro meat, fresh salad, and garlic yogurt sauce. This is definitely a dinner that aims to please without breaking the bank.

 

Instant Pot Greek Chicken Gyros

Children have a love/hate relationship with new things. They’ll be as excited than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs to ride a new bike or try out the new playground at the park but scream bloody murder over trying new food. I tend to go for new foods that are similar to foods my children are already used to. This helps me introduce new flavors and dishes without too much of an upheaval. 

 

Chicken and tacos seem to go over pretty well with children and these chicken gyros do, too. They’re basically the monster trucks of chicken tacos. Even if you don’t have kids, there’s nothing stopping you from trying a delicious Greek dish.

How Do You Make Instant Pot Greek Chicken Gyros?

 

You have three separate little recipes you will be making inside this dish. To make the gyro meat, you’ll want to season your meat and let it marinate in the fridge for a bit. Next, place your oil in the Instant Pot and saute the chicken. Once finished, place your chicken back in the Instant Pot and turn off the saute mode for the chicken to finish.

For the second layer, the salad, you’ll simply toss together the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, parsley, lemon juice, along with the salt and pepper. Then, mix together the yogurt, garlic, and lemon zest in another bowl.

Finally, layout your pita bread and place the gyro meat first, then the salad, and finish with the yogurt sauce. I am generous with my yogurt sauce, but add it as you prefer.

 

Tips for Making Instant Pot Greek Chicken Gyros

 

• This recipe is great for parties and meal prep for a busy day. Just place in an airtight container and they will keep for 3-5 days.
• Be sure to keep the various layers separate if you’re planning on making them ahead or storing leftovers. Once you mix the layers together, it won’t keep well.
• It’s best if plain Greek yogurt is used for the garlic sauce. However, I have found that certain flavors can mix pretty well with the gyro. However, be leery and try a little bit first before making your entire sauce out of it. Plain normal yogurt would also work in a pinch. 

 

Common Questions About Instant Pot Greek Chicken Gyros

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How Are Gyros Made in Greece?

 

Traditional Greek gyros are made with pork that has been thinly sliced, stacked on a spit, and then slow-roasted to perfection. To be more specific, large amounts of pork are thinly sliced before being seasoned with salt and pepper, sweet paprika, and oregano, then sprinkled with white-wine vinegar. The thin slices are then stacked on a tall, metal stake and placed on a rotisserie to roast. When it’s finished, a knife is used to shave pieces of the pork off and make a gyro. How the finished product is assembled is the same as it is in America. It’s pita bread, gyro meat, a salad with a cucumber and tomato mixture, and a yogurt sauce to top it all off. 

What Do You Serve with Gyros?

 

Tabouli is a popular salad-like dish that is popularly served with gyros. Hummus or baba ganoush (an eggplant based spread similar to hummus) is also a popular side serving for gyros. Gyros go great with salads of various types or even a rice or bean-based side. However, in general, gyros are seen as a full dish all on their own because of the various layers they contain. They are often served with the layers placed separately on the plate so they can be assembled as the person is ready to eat them.  Honestly though the salad mix I include in this recipe is enough for us.

 

We don’t make the gyros traditionally in this house because we simply don’t have the time. However, these chicken gyros are just as delicious and are much quicker to throw together. The instant pot is such a time and money saver, plus it honestly is just fun to use! So if you’re looking for something new and refreshing to serve for dinner, give these Instant Pot Greek Chicken Gyros a whirl.

So how do you make Instant Pot Greek Gyros?

Ingredients

For the Gyro

• 1½ lbs. of skinless and boneless Chicken Thighs
• 2 teaspoon of Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon of dried Mint leaves
• ½ teaspoon of Oregano
• ½ teaspoon of ground Allspice
• 1 teaspoon of Paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of half a Lemon
• ¼ cup of Water 
• 2 tablespoon of Olive Oil

For the Salad

• 1 English Cucumber, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 2 firm Roma tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 small Red Onion, diced
• ¼ cup of chopped Parsley
• Juice of half a Lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Garlic Sauce

• 1 cup of Greek Yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon of Minced Garlic
• Zest of one whole Lemon
• Salt
• Pita Bread to serve

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Instructions

Prep work

Zest one whole lemon and cut into half.

Marinate the chicken with salt and pepper, dried mint, oregano, paprika, and allspice, juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of oil. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to two hours

Add the lemon zest and minced garlic to a cup of Greek yogurt and whisk it well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It can stay in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

Toss together the chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Add the juice of half a lemon, salt, and pepper. Cover and keep aside while we make the gyro.

For the Gyro 

Turn the Instant Pot on the “Sauté” mode, and add two tablespoons of oil.

Brown the marinated chicken thighs in bathes on both sides.

Add a quarter cup of water and place all the chicken thighs back in the instant pot. 

Turn off the “Sauté” mode. Put the lid on, making sure that the pressure valve is in the “Sealing” position.

Select the “Pressure Cook” mode and adjust the time, with the “- / +” to 7 minutes.

When Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release the naturally for 10 minutes and then with a thick kitchen towel, turn the pressure valve to the “Venting” position, to do a quick release.

Remove the chicken thighs form the instant pot and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it. Save the liquid in the instant pot. It is a flavorful base for chicken soup or curry recipe.

To Serve:

Place a warm pita on the serving platter. Place a few slices of the chicken gyro. Top with fresh cucumber-tomato salad and a generous drizzle of the garlic-yogurt sauce.

Roll and sever/eat immediately. 

Notes

• The three different layers of the gyros can be made and kept separately in the fridge at least a couple of days ahead.
• Gyros must be consumed immediately once it is assembled.

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If you enjoyed this recipe, you’re sure to love these other dinner recipes!

 

• Instant Pot Spookydle Soup
• Homemade Fideo Soup
• Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn Nachos
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• Instant Pot Smothered Pork Chops

 

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