Chicken Kabob & Gyro Meat Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1 to 1¼-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towels.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir in chopped parsley.

Marinate

Add chicken pieces to the marinade and toss until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4 hours. For best flavor, marinate up to 8 hours but not more than 12.

Skewer

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Thread marinated chicken onto skewers, leaving a little space between pieces for even cooking.

Grill or broil

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C) or set oven broiler to high and position rack about 6 inches from heat. Grill the skewers 3–4 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C) and edges are lightly charred. If using broiler, place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, monitoring closely to avoid burning, about 3–5 minutes per side.

Rest and finish

Remove skewers from heat and let chicken rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch more chopped parsley and squeeze lemon wedges over before serving.

Prepare onion

Peel and grate the onion into a bowl, then press or squeeze to release and retain the juices — add both grated onion and juices to the meat mixture.

Combine ingredients

In a large bowl, add ground lamb and ground beef. Add grated onion (with juices), bread crumbs, egg, minced garlic, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground allspice, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands or a fork until evenly combined — avoid overworking to keep the mixture tender.

Form and chill

Shape the mixture into a tight loaf or two smaller loaves on a piece of plastic wrap or in a loaf pan, smoothing the surface. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour (preferably 2–4 hours) to firm up the meat for easier slicing and better texture.

Cook gyro meat

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a skillet and sear the outside of the meatloaf over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes per side until browned (this step is optional but adds color). Transfer the loaf to a small baking dish and bake 25–30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160–165°F (71–74°C). Remove and let rest 10 minutes.

Slice or shred

After resting, slice the gyro loaf thinly against the grain. For a traditional finish, you can briefly pan-fry slices in a hot skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil for 1 minute per side to crisp edges before serving.

Warm pita bread in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes. Spread tzatziki down the center of each pita.

Layer shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced red onion, and either chicken from skewers (remove from skewers and break into pieces) or thin slices of gyro meat onto the pita.

Drizzle additional tzatziki or a squeeze of lemon, fold or roll the pita, and serve immediately. Offer extra lemon wedges and parsley on the side.