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High Protein Chicken Gyros

Snejana Andreeva - 1

By Snejana Andreeva

on Mar 13, 2025, Updated Mar 29, 2025

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Call me The Modern PROTEIN Nonna —because ever since I started sneaking more protein into my meals, I’ve basically turned into a protein magician 🎩. You name a classic dish, and I’ll protein-ify it 💅. One of my favourite inventions to date is this three ingredient High Protein Chicken Gyros recipe!

  • Why You’ll Love High Protein Chicken Gyros
  • How to Prepare
  • Nonna’s Tip 🍗
  • Variations and Substitutions for High Protein Chicken Gyros
  • More Greek Recipes
  • Best Served With
  • Common Questions
  • High Protein Chicken Gyros Recipe

Now, we all know chicken gyros are already high in protein—because, well, chicken 🐔… DUH. But what if I told you I could raise the protein stakes even higher? That’s right, I levelled up this beautiful, flavor-packed dish by being the first person online to ever marinate chicken thighs in a creamy, blended, perfectly seasoned (and I mean, perfectly seasoned, because bland chicken? We don’t know her 👀) mixture of cottage cheese .

A metal pan holds a towering stack of roasted meat pieces, topped with a charred onion, reminiscent of a vertical skewer. The background shows a sunlit kitchen with white cabinets and decor. - 3

Yes, you heard me. COTTAGE CHEESE 🧀. I’ve been marinating my meat in yogurt since forever—because let’s be real, yogurt is a GOAT-level marinade across so many cultures (including mine). But blending up cottage cheese and letting that work its magic? It takes a regular chicken gyro and takes it to protein heights you never thought were possible.

So, if you’re ready to jump on this High-Protein Chicken Gyro train, grab a seat, hold on tight, and let TMN show you the way 😉.

Why You’ll Love High Protein Chicken Gyros

Juicy chicken thighs 🍖 are marinated in a high protein cottage cheese mixture for maximum tenderness. Then, they’re generously seasoned with a savory poultry blend and spit roasted wearing an onion crown 🧅👑 to let the juices trickle down. This self-basting method creates a tower of meat that is crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy 💦 on the inside. The best part? It takes only 10 minutes to prep, so you can set it and forget it. The result? A savory, juicy – not to mention healthy! – protein rich meal that’s virtually hands free 🙌!

How to Prepare

♨️ Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).

🌀 Next, add the cottage cheese to a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend the cottage cheese with an immersion blender in its container.

🐓 Now, add the chicken thighs to a bowl, with any poultry seasoning of choice. I used Watkins poultry and seafood seasoning but feel free to use any of choice.

🥣 Add in the blended cottage cheese and mix well.

🫒 Once marinated, take out the Vertical Gyro Oven Plate , oil it up with a little bit of olive oil, and thread on the chicken making sure to rotate each one opposite from the last.

🧅 If you don’t have a Vertical Spit , cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own home-made spit.

💧 Now, add one cup of water (or broth) to the bottom of the Gyro plate and place half of the onion on top of the meat.

👩‍🍳 Place it in the oven and bake for 75-90 minutes (depending on the oven) or until golden.

🥙 Take it out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes and cut it. Enjoy on pita with tzatziki, french fries and all the fixings, on a salad, or on its own with a side of my Greek Lemon Potatoes .

Nonna’s Tip 🍗

Feel free to use any seasoning of choice, or create your own blend as well. Mine had salt in it already, so I didn’t have to add extra. Depending on the brand, you will have to adjust the sodium so be sure to look on the back of the ingredient label for best results.

High Protein Chicken Gyro. A towering stack of sliced, roasted chicken pieces is skewered on a vertical rod in a pan. A roasted onion tops the stack. The setting includes a bright kitchen with a wooden cutting board and decorative jars in the background. - 4

Variations and Substitutions for High Protein Chicken Gyros

  1. Instead of cottage cheese, feel free to use Greek 🇬🇷 yogurt for the marinade.
  2. You can also make this dairy-free with plant based cottage cheese, or eliminate it altogether.
  3. Get creative with your poultry seasoning 🐓 blend! I used Watkins Poultry Seasoning, but some people swear by Bell’s Seasoning. I’m also a big fan of making your own with whatever’s available on your spice rack! Just make sure you read the sodium label and salt to taste.
  4. No spit? No problem! Simply cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own.
  5. The marinating time ⏲️ for this recipe is flexible, anywhere from 1 hour to overnight in the fridge. The longer you let it marinate, the more juicy and flavorful it will be.

More Greek Recipes

A stack of grilled chicken pieces skewered on a spit in a pan. A spoon drizzles sauce over the top, enhancing the golden-brown, juicy appearance of the chicken. The background features a white, tiled wall design. - 5 A stack of grilled chicken pieces skewered on a spit in a pan. A spoon drizzles sauce over the top, enhancing the golden-brown, juicy appearance of the chicken. The background features a white, tiled wall design. - 6

Greek Chicken Gyros

1 hr 25 mins

A bowl of creamy Easy Tzatziki Recipe sauce topped with mixed olives, fresh dill, basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and two triangular pita chips around the edge. - 7 A bowl of creamy Easy Tzatziki Recipe sauce topped with mixed olives, fresh dill, basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and two triangular pita chips around the edge. - 8

Easy Tzatziki Recipe

6 mins

A bowl of Greek Feta Salad with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, Kalamata olives, and a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce on top, with a spoon resting in the salad. - 9 A bowl of Greek Feta Salad with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, Kalamata olives, and a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce on top, with a spoon resting in the salad. - 10

Greek Feta Salad

8 mins

Spatchcock Greek Lemon Chicken with crispy, browned skin is served alongside golden potato wedges, lemon halves, garlic cloves, and sprigs of rosemary in a white dish. - 11 Spatchcock Greek Lemon Chicken with crispy, browned skin is served alongside golden potato wedges, lemon halves, garlic cloves, and sprigs of rosemary in a white dish. - 12

Spatchcock Greek Lemon Chicken

1 hr 35 mins

A bowl of golden Greek Lemon Potatoes wedges garnished with fresh herbs, lemon wedges, and small cubes of feta cheese, with a gold fork resting on the side. - 13 A bowl of golden Greek Lemon Potatoes wedges garnished with fresh herbs, lemon wedges, and small cubes of feta cheese, with a gold fork resting on the side. - 14

Greek Lemon Potatoes

1 hr 30 mins

Two gyros filled with grilled meat, fresh tomatoes, red onion slices, crumbled feta, and herbs are served on a wooden board. A creamy sauce is drizzled on top, and the gyros are wrapped in pita bread. - 15 Two gyros filled with grilled meat, fresh tomatoes, red onion slices, crumbled feta, and herbs are served on a wooden board. A creamy sauce is drizzled on top, and the gyros are wrapped in pita bread. - 16

Easy Chicken Gyros

1 hr 10 mins

Best Served With

  • Serve these with my cool and creamy Easy Tzatziki Recipe .
  • Pair them with a side of tangy Greek Lemon Potatoes 🥔.
  • Make a delicious Easy Greek Bowl with fresh tomatoes 🍅 and cucumbers 🥒.
  • Warm pita 🥙 is the perfect companion to these High Protein Chicken Gyros.

Common Questions

Absolutely! Feel free to use a dairy-free alternative to the cottage cheese, or eliminate it altogether.

Once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the spit and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I used Watkins poultry seasoning for this recipe. Bell’s Seasoning is another great option. You can also make your own blend! Just be sure to check the sodium content of your seasoning before adding salt to taste.

It’s flexible! You can marinate the chicken in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 24 hours before cooking. The longer you let it marinate, the more flavorful and tender it will be. (But don’t go over 24-hours for food safety purposes!)

If you don’t have a Vertical Spit , cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own home-made spit.

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Equipment

  • ▢ Large Food Processor
  • ▢ Vertical Spit USA
  • ▢ Vertical Spit Canada
  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Mixing Bowls
  • ▢ Watkins Poultry Seasoning

Ingredients

  • ▢ 8 boneless skinless thighs , sometimes I add 10-12 thighs
  • ▢ ⅓ cup cottage cheese , blended
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon Poultry Seasoning , to taste
  • ▢ 1 cup water , or broth
  • ▢ ½ onion , or foil

Instructions

  • ▢ Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
  • ▢ Next, add the cottage cheese to a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend the cottage cheese with an immersion blender in its container.
  • ▢ Now, add the chicken thighs to a bowl, with any poultry seasoning of choice. I used Watkins poultry and seafood seasoning but feel free to use any of choice.
  • ▢ Note: feel free to use any seasoning of choice or create your own blend as well. Mine has salt in it already, so I didn’t have to add extra. Depending on the brand, you will have to adjust the sodium so be sure to look on the back of the ingredient label for best results.
  • ▢ Add in the blended cottage cheese and mix well.
  • ▢ Once marinated, take out the Vertical Gyro Oven Plate , oil it up with a little bit of olive oil, and thread on the chicken making sure to rotate each one opposite from the last.
  • ▢ Note: if you don’t have a Vertical Spit , cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own home-made spit.
  • ▢ Now, add one cup of water (or broth) to the bottom of the Gyro plate and place half of the onion on top of the meat.
  • ▢ Place it in the oven and bake for 75-90 minutes (depending on the oven) or until golden. Feel free to insert a meat thermometer if you want to be safe.
  • ▢ Take it out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes and cut it. Enjoy on pita with tzatziki, french fries and all the fixings, on a salad, or on its own with a side of my Greek Lemon Potatoes .

Nonna’s Notes

  • Cottage Cheese Substitution: Instead of cottage cheese, feel free to use Greek yogurt for the marinade.
  • Dairy-free Alternative: You can make this recipe dairy-free with plant based cottage cheese, or eliminate it altogether.
  • Poultry Seasoning: Get creative with your poultry seasoning blend! I used Watkins Poultry Seasoning, but some people swear by Bell’s Seasoning. Feel free to make your own blend. Just make sure you note the amount of sodium on the nutrition labels and add (or eliminate) salt to taste.
  • Vertical Spit Alternative: Simply cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own.
  • Marinade: The marinating time for this recipe is flexible, anywhere from 1 hour to overnight in the fridge. The longer you let it marinate, the more juicy and flavorful it will be.

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

High Protein Chicken Gyros

Equipment

  • Large Food Processor
  • Vertical Spit USA
  • Vertical Spit Canada
  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Watkins Poultry Seasoning

Ingredients

  • 8 boneless skinless thighs sometimes I add 10-12 thighs
  • ⅓ cup cottage cheese blended
  • 1 tablespoon Poultry Seasoning to taste
  • 1 cup water or broth
  • ½ onion or foil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
  • Next, add the cottage cheese to a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend the cottage cheese with an immersion blender in its container.
  • Now, add the chicken thighs to a bowl, with any poultry seasoning of choice. I used Watkins poultry and seafood seasoning but feel free to use any of choice.
  • Note: feel free to use any seasoning of choice or create your own blend as well. Mine has salt in it already, so I didn’t have to add extra. Depending on the brand, you will have to adjust the sodium so be sure to look on the back of the ingredient label for best results.
  • Add in the blended cottage cheese and mix well.
  • Once marinated, take out the Vertical Gyro Oven Plate , oil it up with a little bit of olive oil, and thread on the chicken making sure to rotate each one opposite from the last.
  • Note: if you don’t have a Vertical Spit , cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own home-made spit.
  • Now, add one cup of water (or broth) to the bottom of the Gyro plate and place half of the onion on top of the meat.
  • Place it in the oven and bake for 75-90 minutes (depending on the oven) or until golden. Feel free to insert a meat thermometer if you want to be safe.
  • Take it out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes and cut it. Enjoy on pita with tzatziki, french fries and all the fixings, on a salad, or on its own with a side of my Greek Lemon Potatoes .

Notes

  • Cottage Cheese Substitution: Instead of cottage cheese, feel free to use Greek yogurt for the marinade.
  • Dairy-free Alternative: You can make this recipe dairy-free with plant based cottage cheese, or eliminate it altogether.
  • Poultry Seasoning: Get creative with your poultry seasoning blend! I used Watkins Poultry Seasoning, but some people swear by Bell’s Seasoning. Feel free to make your own blend. Just make sure you note the amount of sodium on the nutrition labels and add (or eliminate) salt to taste.
  • Vertical Spit Alternative: Simply cut a large onion in half and position two bamboo skewers vertically into the onion to create your own.
  • Marinade: The marinating time for this recipe is flexible, anywhere from 1 hour to overnight in the fridge. The longer you let it marinate, the more juicy and flavorful it will be.

Nutrition

High Protein Chicken Gyros https://themodernnonna.com/high-protein-chicken-gyros/ March 13, 2025