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PINEAPPLE CHICKEN GYRO 🤤

By Snejana Andreeva

on Oct 21, 2025, Updated Oct 31, 2025

You already know I’m a sucker for a sweet-and-salty combo. Ask me if pineapple belongs on pizza, and I’ll proudly scream “YES” (I said what I said 😤). Grilled pineapple 🍍 is honestly one of my all-time favorite “accidentally healthy” desserts, and when you stack it with juicy, spiced chicken thighs? Game over. If you’re someone who enjoys a hint of sweetness in a savory dish, then this Pineapple Chicken Gyro 🥙 will become your new obsession. Think chicken gyro gets a Hawaiian makeover and comes back juicer, sweeter and completely irresistible.

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Key Takeaways

Pineapple Chicken Gyro combines sweet and savory for a delicious dish, featuring juicy chicken thighs and caramelized pineapple.
The recipe highlights rich flavors from spices, yogurt, and garlic, creating a smokey heat and tangy glaze.
Enjoy the gyro with crispy salads, Greek lemon potatoes, or warm pita for a complete meal.
Variations include using canned pineapple or different proteins like chicken breasts, pork, or tofu.
Feel free to make it ahead by marinating and layering ingredients for easy baking later.
Key Takeaways
Why You’ll Love Pineapple Chicken Gyro
Ingredients
Nonna’s Tip 🍗
Variations and Substitutions for Pineapple Chicken Gyro
Best Served With
Similar Gyro Recipes
Common Questions
Pineapple Chicken Gyro Recipe

Why You’ll Love Pineapple Chicken Gyro

Juicy, smokey and slightly tangy, this Pineapple Chicken Gyro has it all. The tajin and paprika give the chicken a smokey heat and just the right amount of zest, while the garlic 🧄 adds depth and warmth. As the chicken roasts, the pineapple 🍍 caramelizes and releases its natural juices, infusing the meat with a sweet, tangy glaze that cuts through the richness of the thighs. If your mouth isn’t already watering, then it certainly will when you open up the oven and see those crispy, golden brown chicken edges, overlapping the sweet, sticky pineapple rings that turn almost jammy after being baked 🤤. Enjoy it as a gyro, with rice, as a bowl or on a salad, just know, you’ll be hooked after the first bite and plotting when to make it again.

Ingredients

Flat lay of raw chicken thighs, sliced fresh pineapple, garlic cloves, assorted spices, olive oil, a bowl of marinade, a small dish of mayonnaise, and a dish of salt on a white surface. - 4

🍗 Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy and soak up all the marinade’s flavor. They really bring that tender perfection!

🫒 Olive Oil: Just a touch adds richness and helps the spices cling to the chicken. You’ll also use a bit to grease your gyro plate so nothing sticks while baking.

🥣 Plain Yogurt: My not-so-secret marinade hero. Yogurt tenderizes the chicken, keeping it nice and moist while adding a subtle tang that balances out the sweetness of the pineapple.

🧄 Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the chicken that deep, savory backbone every good marinade needs.

🧂 Salt & Pepper: Always essential to make all the flavors pop! Taste as you go.

🌶️ Paprika: Adds a warm smokiness and beautiful color.

🍋‍🟩 T ajin : It brings zesty lime, mild chili, and a touch of salt. All the notes for the sweetness of the pineapple and make every bite perfect.

💧 Water: Poured into the bottom of the pan to prevent burning and keep the chicken moist. You can also use stock instead.

🍍 Pineapple: Can’t have pineapple chicken gyro without it! As it roasts, it caramelizes and infuses the chicken with sweet, tangy juices.

Nonna’s Tip 🍗

If your chicken starts browning too fast in the oven, then cover the top loosely with foil and add a splash of water or broth to the pan to keep everything moist.

Variations and Substitutions for Pineapple Chicken Gyro

Instead of fresh pineapple 🍍, you could opt to use canned rings in a pinch.
Swap for different proteins such as chicken breasts or pork tenderloin.
For a plant-based option, you could use tofu or large portobello mushrooms 🍄.
Additionally, dairy-free yogurt or coconut yogurt can stand in if you’re avoiding dairy.
No vertical spit ? No problem! You can make this recipe by layering the chicken thighs and pineapple in a loaf pan.

Best Served With

A crispy Authentic Greek Salad 🥗 or Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad) .
A side of Greek Lemon Potatoes 🍋🥔.
This Easy Tzatziki Recipe for dipping.
A side of warm pita 🥙.

Similar Gyro 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

Greek Chicken Gyros

1 hr 25 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. - 7

Easy Chicken Gyros

1 hr 10 mins

A person uses a fork and spoon to hold a stack of grilled chicken pieces in a pan on a kitchen countertop. In the background, there are kitchen items like a white bowl and a wooden cutting board. - 9

High Protein Chicken Gyros

1 hr 40 mins

A stack of grilled portobello mushroom slices, skewered vertically in a pan with rich sauce, sits on a kitchen counter. Sunlight highlights the mushrooms and sauce, with bowls and wooden decor in the background. - 11

Portobello Mushroom Recipe

30 mins

Common Questions

Yes! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work, but keep an eye on the baking time so they don’t dry out. Thighs stay juicier and more flavorful, especially when layered with pineapple.

Absolutely. Fresh pineapple gives the best caramelized flavor, but canned rings are a convenient swap. Just drain them well before layering so the dish doesn’t get watery.

You can still make this! Layer the chicken and pineapple in a small roasting dish or loaf pan, keeping the pineapple between the chicken layers.

Yes! You can marinate and layer the chicken and pineapple a day ahead, then bake when ready to serve.

Let your gyros cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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Video

Equipment

▢ Nakiri Knife
▢ Cutting Board
▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
▢ Vertical Spit
▢ Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

▢ 7 boneless skinless chicken thighs
▢ 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 3 cloves minced garlic
▢ 1 teaspoon salt , to taste
▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper , to taste
▢ ¼ teaspoon paprika , to taste
▢ ½ tablespoon Tajin , or dry oregano
▢ 1 cup water , or stock (for the bottom of the pan)
▢ 4 pineapple rings

Instructions

▢ Marinate the chicken in olive oil, yogurt, and spices for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. Cut a peeled and cored pineapple into rings.
▢ Massage oil on the gyro plate so nothing sticks. Layer the chicken and pineapple⁠ onto the vertical spit . First, place the pineapple ring at the bottom.
▢ Next, add two thighs (threaded criss cross) on top of the pineapple.
▢ Repeat layers until all ingredients are used.
▢ Finish with a pineapple at the top. ⁠Add broth or water to the bottom of the pan.
▢ Bake at 400F (205C) for one hour, or until chicken reaches 160F (70C) internally.
▢ Tip: add foil on top and adjust the water if the chicken starts to brown too fast or the liquid evaporates.

Nonna’s Notes

Pineapple rings: Instead of fresh pineapple, you could opt to use canned rings in a pinch.
Protein swaps: Swap for different proteins such as chicken breasts or pork tenderloin.
Plant-based swaps: For a plant-based option, you could use tofu or large portobello mushrooms.
Dairy-free options: Additionally, dairy-free yogurt or coconut yogurt can stand in if you’re avoiding dairy.
Loaf pan method: No gyro plate? No problem! You can make this recipe by layering the chicken thighs and pineapple in a loaf pan.

My Notes

Nutrition

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