How Many Calories Are in Chicken Gyros?

People all over Greece love chicken gyros, which is a sandwich made with warm pita bread, tzatziki sauce, rotisserie chicken slices, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. You may be wondering how many calories are in a chicken gyro, though, with all of those tasty ingredients piled on top.

Calculating Chicken Gyro Calories

To determine the calorie count we first need to look at the main ingredients

Chicken

If you roast chicken breast, which is the most common cut, it has about 100 calories per 3 ounces. Since gyros use sliced rotisserie chicken, the calorie count is about the same at 100 calories per 3 ounces. An average chicken gyro has about 6 ounces of chicken, which is about 200 calories from the chicken alone.

Tzatziki Sauce

Greek tzatziki sauce is made from yogurt, cucumbers, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. It is creamy and tastes like yogurt. A 2-tablespoon serving of tzatziki contains around 60 calories. Most gyros have around 2-3 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce.

Pita Bread

A small 6-inch pita pocket contains about 130 calories. Larger pita rounds used for gyros can have 150-200 calories.

Vegetables

Onions, tomatoes, and lettuce add nutritional value to gyros but minimal calories. About 25 calories total comes from the vegetable toppings.

Total Calories

Adding up the main components – chicken, tzatziki sauce, pita, and veggies – an average chicken gyro sandwich contains 385 to 485 calories.

This calorie range accounts for size variations in the chicken and pita, as well as differences in tzatziki sauce amounts.

Calorie Differences in Chicken Gyros

While the average chicken gyro clocks in at 400 calories, the specific calorie count can vary based on:

• Portion size – A large 8-inch pita will have more calories than a standard 6-inch pita. Double chicken portions can also nearly double the calories.

• Ingredients – Substituting with higher calorie ingredients like feta cheese, olives, and hummus can add 50-100 calories.

• Cooking method – Gyros made with grilled chicken tend to be slightly lower in calories than rotisserie chicken.

• Sauces – Replacing some of the tzatziki with tahini or hummus sauce increases calories.

• Sides – Pairing gyros with sides like Greek salad, rice, fries or baklava adds extra calories.

Tips for Lightening Up Your Gyro

Chicken gyros are a better-for-you choice than lamb or beef gyros thanks to chicken’s lower fat content. But if you’re looking for ways to lighten up your gyro even more, here are some tips:

• Choose a 6-inch whole wheat pita over regular or large pitas.

• Load up on lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers instead of cheese, olives, and hummus.

• Opt for just 1 tablespoon of lower-fat tzatziki sauce.

• Order a side Greek salad instead of fries for dipping your gyro in.

• Split your gyro in half and save the other portion for later.

• Build your own gyro at home with grilled chicken breast, light pita, and Greek yogurt tzatziki.

A typical gyro, which includes meat, pita bread, and tzatziki sauce, generally contains between 600 and 800 calories.