Make authentic tasting chicken gyros easily using your slow cooker. This set it and forget it chicken recipe delivers Mediterranean flavors perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
Author:purejoyalex
Prep Time:10 min
Cook Time:6 hours
Total Time:6 hours 10 min
Yield:6 servings 1x
Category:Dinner
Method:Slow Cooking
Cuisine:Greek
Diet:Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pita bread, for serving
Tzatziki sauce, for serving
Sliced tomatoes, for serving
Sliced red onion, for serving
Shredded lettuce, for serving
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker.
In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
Pour the liquid mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Reserve the cooking liquid.
Shred the chicken using two forks. For a texture closer to traditional gyros, you can lightly chop the shredded meat after pulling it apart.
To achieve a slightly crisp texture, spread the shredded chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the chicken. Broil on high for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges brown slightly.
Warm the pita bread according to package directions.
Assemble your chicken gyros by filling the warm pitas with the seasoned shredded chicken, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, red onion, and lettuce.
Notes
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken in the spice mixture for at least 30 minutes before placing it in the slow cooker, if time allows.
If you do not have smoked paprika, you can omit it, but the paprika adds depth to the Mediterranean flavors.
Use the remaining cooking liquid as an extra sauce or drizzle it over the assembled gyros for more moisture.