Description
Succulent Greek chicken souvlaki brings Mediterranean flavors dancing across your plate with marinated grilled chicken skewers. Zesty lemon, garlic, and herbs create a classic Greek experience that transports you straight to sunny coastal tavernas.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) dried oregano
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¾ teaspoon (4 grams) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) honey
Liquids and Vegetables:
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) olive oil
- 2 medium lemons, divided
- Vegetable oil for grilling
- 2 medium plum tomatoes
- ½ medium english cucumber
- ¼ small red onion
- ⅓ cup (50 grams) pitted kalamata olives (about 10)
Additional Items:
- 4 (6-inch) pita breads
- Tzatziki sauce, for serving
- 4 to 6 skewers
Instructions
- Create a vibrant marinade by blending freshly minced garlic and lemon zest in a spacious container, releasing aromatic citrus oils.
- Pour lemon juice into the marinade, incorporating olive oil, crumbled dried oregano, golden honey, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until ingredients harmonize.
- Trim chicken into uniform, bite-sized cubes, ensuring consistent cooking and maximum flavor absorption.
- Submerge chicken pieces completely in the marinade, allowing them to soak and tenderize. Let rest at ambient temperature for half an hour or refrigerate for up to three hours to intensify flavors.
- Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high temperature, lightly coating metal grates with culinary oil to prevent sticking.
- Carefully skewer marinated chicken pieces, maintaining even spacing for uniform grilling.
- Grill chicken skewers, rotating periodically to achieve beautiful caramelized edges and ensuring internal temperature reaches safe doneness, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
- While chicken grills, slice ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and pungent red onion into elegant, thin rounds.
- Arrange sliced vegetables and halved kalamata olives on a rustic serving platter.
- Briefly warm pita breads on grill to enhance their softness and impart subtle smoky essence.
- Assemble souvlaki by layering grilled chicken skewers atop warm pitas, generously topping with fresh vegetables, briny olives, and cooling tzatziki sauce.
Notes
- Marinades lock in flavor and tenderize meat, making chicken juicy and delicious.
- Cold-marinating allows herbs and citrus to deeply penetrate chicken, creating complex taste profiles.
- Wooden skewers need pre-soaking in water to prevent burning during high-heat grilling, ensuring perfect chicken texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg