Chicken Gyro Chopped Salad

Name: Chicken Gyro Chopped Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons dried oregano; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 2 teaspoons dried basil; 2 teaspoons sweet paprika; 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne; 3 tablespoons garlic powder; Salt and pepper; 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt; 7 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 2 small lemons); 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally in half; 1/2 cup dill, roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 large head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 cups); 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 large cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1 cup slightly crushed pita chips; 4 ounces feta, crumbled, plus more for serving

By Kia Damon

Updated June 17, 2025

Chicken Gyro Chopped Salad — Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Total Time: About 1 hour
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes’ marinating
Rating: 5(743)
Comments: Read comments

This upgraded chopped salad harnesses all the delight of a classic gyro into bite-sized, flavor packed components using ingredients and pantry items that may already be in your kitchen. Seared chicken takes the place of the usual spit-roasted chicken, pork or lamb. The meat is marinated in yogurt and a homemade Greek seasoning blend, tenderizing the meat in less than an hour. This step can also be done the day prior, with the chicken marinating for up to 24 hours. The feta adds just the right amount of tangy, briny flavor with support from the creamy tzatziki-style dressing. For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for extra firm tofu or hearty vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

2tablespoons dried oregano
1tablespoon ground cumin
2teaspoons ground cinnamon
2teaspoons dried basil
2teaspoons sweet paprika
¼teaspoon ground cayenne
3tablespoons garlic powder
Salt and pepper
½cup full-fat Greek yogurt
7tablespoons olive oil
¼cup lemon juice (from about 2 small lemons)
1pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally in half
½cup dill, roughly chopped
2tablespoons mayonnaise
1large head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1large cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
1small red onion, thinly sliced
1cup slightly crushed pita chips
4ounces feta, crumbled, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the oregano, cumin, cinnamon, basil, paprika, cayenne, 2 tablespoons of the garlic powder and 1 tablespoon salt with ¼ cup of the yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the chicken to the marinade. Massage the chicken in the marinade, coating completely. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk together the dill, mayonnaise, ¼ cup olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic powder, ¼ cup yogurt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Step 3
When the chicken is done marinating, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a grill pan or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Let the excess marinade drip off the chicken and then cook the chicken, a few pieces at a time, for 5 minutes, flip and cook for another 3 minutes. The chicken should be browned on both sides and cooked though. (Because of the dairy in the marinade, expect it to caramelize a bit in the pan. Turn down the heat if it begins to burn.) Set the chicken aside to rest; it will continue to cook off the heat. Repeat with the remaining chicken. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into ½-inch pieces.
Step 4
Assemble the salad: Make a bed of romaine in a large salad bowl or serving plate, then create rows of tomatoes, cucumber, onion, chicken, pita chips and crumbled feta. Drizzle with about half of the dressing and serve with the remaining dressing and more feta, if desired, on the side.

Ratings

5 out of 5

743 user ratings

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Comments

Good Flavor10 months ago

This was easy to put together and it was tasty! I ended up using chicken thighs instead of breast. I also baked them so I wouldn't have to worry about burning the marinade (it's a me problem...I don't cook well on a stovetop) and it worked well.

IW10 months ago

I had this last week in Cape May takeout from George’s, a local Greek restaurant. Kalamata olives rather than pita chips. Delicious.

Ashley B10 months ago

Delicious! Halved the cinnamon as recommended and marinated chicken overnight. Used regular plain full fat yogurt as that's what I had (vs Greek). Served over power greens and cabbage, added black olives too. Will make again and again. I'm sure the leftovers will be great as a wrap for lunch tomorrow!

Melissa3 hours ago

I found the amount of garlic powder in the dressing to be overwhelming. Good thing I prepared everything early in the day. I may remake the dressing with a clove of fresh garlic. I sure hope the 2 tablespoons of garlic powder in the marinade aren’t overwhelming. I love garlic, but wow.

Jane21 hours ago

The grill died yesterday so we baked the chicken breasts at 400 for about 15 min til they hit temp. It was fantastic. I also added black olives and soaked the red onion in water for about 8 min before adding. I also didn’t have Greek yogurt on hand so I used plain yogurt instead. Pulled all the greens from my salad garden and made more of a chopped mixed green salad. Will def be making this again! The recipe flexed very nicely with what I had on hand.

WLO2 weeks ago

This recipe is amazing! After reading the comments, I cut the cinnamon and salt in half and used fresh garlic in the marinade and dressing. We grilled the chicken and had no problems with the marinade burning. Used organic chicken and it came out butter tender. Ate it for dinner with the crushed pita chips and the next day stuffed in a pita. Flavorful and delicious both ways.

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