This easy and quick recipe has a short list of ingredients but the chicken has a delicious authentic flavour and is tender and juicy. Pair Chicken Souvlaki Skewers with a mediterranean side dish and you’ve got yourself a perfect mid summer meal.
The term souvlaki actually means meat on a stick so I probably don’t have to include the word skewers but it doesn’t hurt to be specific. Souvlaki is a Greek dish with the flavours you would expect – yogurt, lemon and garlic. Yogurt is an excellent marinade because it has a natural acidity that helps tenderize the meat. Plus it adds a tangy element and works well with the other ingredients.
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Let’s start with the chicken. I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs when making this recipe. Thigh meat has more flavour and is less likely to dry out. It’s also very affordable compared to chicken breast. You can substitute breast meat but take care not to over cook it. Cut the thighs into about 6 chunks each. This is a preferable size that allows for lots of surface area to get grilled and isn’t so small that the meat cooks too quickly.
The marinade is simply yogurt, lemon juice and garlic seasoned with oregano, salt and pepper. Avoid reduced fat yogurt that’s been modified with strange ingredients and thickeners, but in the case of good Greek yogurt, the lower fat versions are just made with lower fat dairy and are strained more. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is great because it doesn’t contain preservatives, just real juice and authentic flavour. You’ll want to marinate the chicken at least a few hours, up to all day. Over night is ok, but I don’t recommend any longer than 24 hours. The acidity in the yogurt and lemon will start to break down the meat too much.
Bamboo skewers are really handy and inexpensive. To prevent them from burning up before the meat is cooked, soak them for at least an hour before assembling the skewers. If you have a tall beer glass or thin vase, fill it full, pop the skewers in and flip them over after about an hour so both ends get well soaked. Metal skewers are awesome too. But these Chicken Souvlaki Skewers don’t take long to grill so the meat is cooked all the way through before the bamboo burns too much.
Here’s a great tip – lay a sheet of foil across the end of the grill and lay the skewers so the handles are over the foil. Not the meat, just the handles. This way they don’t get burnt before the meat is done.
You might be thinking why would I bother to cut the meat up at all? Why not just grill the whole pieces? Well, you can. But what’s the fun in that? People love meat on a stick. And, don’t tell anyone but you can really space out the meat chunks and fool people into thinking they’re getting a larger serving. Now that’s bang for the buck!
Heat your barbecue in advance and clean the racks well before grilling. You might want to rub some heat safe oil (not olive oil) on the racks. Handy tip – use tongs and a scrunched up paper towel drizzled with oil to coat the rack. This helps prevent the chicken from sticking. Don’t try to move the skewers until the surface has seared so you don’t tear the meat. Turn them a few times to maximize browning. The more surface area gets browned, the more flavour you get. And remember not to overcook them so they’re tender and juicy.
Chicken Souvlaki Skewers can be served over rice with Greek Salad or Mediterranean Pearl Couscous Salad and a lemon wedge. One skewer is usually enough for a serving but these are so good you’ll probably eat two!
If you try Chicken Souvlaki Skewers, consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Equipment
- 6 bamboo or metal skewers soak bamboo for at least an hour to avoid burning
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4-5 breasts
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ lemon, juiced about 2 Tbsp
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into 6 similar sized chunks. If using chicken breast cut into 8-10 chunks each.
- Combine yogurt, lemon juice, oregano and garlic in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add chicken chunks and stir to completely cover chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 24 hours.
- Soak bamboo skewers in water in a tall glass for at least 2 hours prior to assembling. If glass isn't tall enough to completely cover skewers, flip over after an hour to ensure bamboo is well soaked. Metal skewers work well too.
- Thread 8 chunks of chicken onto each skewer. Chicken pieces should be gently touching each other without being too tightly packed.
- Heat barbecue and brush with a little heat safe oil (such as vegetable oil) to prevent chicken from sticking. If using bamboo skewers, lay a sheet of foil over the end of the grill. Place skewers on hot grill with handles over foil and allow meat to sear before turning. Turn a few times to maximize browning all around. Chicken should be cooked through in about 10 minutes.
- Serve with rice, Greek salad and a lemon wedge.
Nutrition
more great sides
Grilled Halloumi and Asparagus Salad
I love the souvlaki flavour. A great and simple recipe.
Thanks Marilyn!