Chicken Souvlaki

July 5, 2024

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Learn how to make your own Chicken Souvlaki from scratch in the comfort of home. With a small list of ingredients and a few basic steps, you’re guaranteed a successful meal no matter your culinary prowess. Featuring lots of garlic, oregano, and fresh lemon juice, the Mediterranean will be calling your name.

side view shot chicken souvlaki skewers with a little tzatziki on a plate

Perfect Chicken Souvlaki

When I go to a Greek restaurant, you know I’m going to be ordering souvlaki of some sort. Chicken, beef, lamb; it’s all so delicious. This recipe truly embodies “less is more“! Of all the different types of souvlaki I’ve tried, my favorites are always the ones made simply to highlight the garlic, oregano, and lemon.

Now once you make your chicken souvlaki, the hardest part will be deciding how to serve it. Will you wrap it up in a pita? Enjoy it on the skewers with a side of Greek salad and some delicious Greek rice? Offer it up as an appetizer dipped in tzatziki? You might just have to try it each way to choose a winner.

Why You Should Make This Chicken Souvlaki

Bold Delicious Flavors. This lemony chicken with garlic and oregano is full of mouth-watering flavors.
Incredibly Easy To Make. Simply combine all the ingredients in a plastic bag and marinate for a couple hours. Then all you have left to do is grill and enjoy!
Crowd Pleaser. I can’t think of an easier but tastier chicken recipe that is bound to please everyone, if the pickiest of eaters.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chicken breast – Chicken thighs will also work. You’ll want to use skinless and boneless because they’ll need to be sliced up in cubes.
Garlic – Use as much or little as you like!
Oregano – I used dried. If you use fresh, double the amount called for. I would recommend using a good Mediterranean oregano for best results.
Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
Olive oil – Grapeseed, avocado, sunflower, or safflower oils will work instead.
Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed. You can also substitute the lemon juice with white vinegar.

How To Make Chicken Souvlaki

Marinate: Add all the ingredients to a large sealable freezer bag or airtight container. Mix everything together well to coat each piece of chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
Prep skewers: Meanwhile, soak the wooden skewers. Place them in a large baking dish or roasting pan and cover them with water by at least 1/2 inch. Soak for 1-2 hours.
Assemble: Preheat your grill over medium-high. Skewer the pieces of chicken, leaving about 1/2″ on the end of each skewer. I got 6 skewers.
Cook: Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until completely cooked through. Transfer the skewers to a plate and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How To Make Chicken Souvlaki Without A Grill

Keep in mind that no matter which method you use, make sure to soak those skewers well.

Oven

Preheat the oven to 450F. Place the skewered chicken on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack.
Bake the chicken for 15 minutes, then turn on the broiler. Let the chicken cook for another 1-3 minutes or until browned to your preference.

Grill Pan Or Skillet

Heat a skillet with 1-2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place a few skewers into the skillet.
Cook for 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

How To Serve Chicken Souvlaki

My favorite way to enjoy this souvlaki is in a pita bread with some freshly chopped red onion, lettuce, tomato, and a dollop of homemade tzatziki sauce. It’s heaven in every bite!

You can also serve your chicken souvlaki with some of these classic sides:

10 minutes

Greek Salad

30 minutes

Greek Pasta Salad

40 minutes

Greek Rice

10 minutes

Best Ever Hummus

What Is The Difference Between Chicken Souvlaki And Chicken Gyros?

Sometimes they can be confusing but here are the main differences.

Chicken gyros are meats that are usually cooked stacked, like a vertical rotisserie. The meat is then sliced up and served inside a warm pita with tomatoes, onions and lots of tzatziki sauce.
Souvlaki is marinated meat and grilled on a skewer. It’s also typically served on a skewer but sometimes you’ll see it served on a salad or a warm pita bread.

Storing Leftovers

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or large sealable freezer bag. You can keep the chicken on the skewers or take it off. It will last 3-4 days stored in the fridge. Reheat using the microwave, or you can use the oven:

Preheat the oven to 250F. Place the chicken in a baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

I’ll be honest here, you don’t even have to reheat these leftovers! You’ll love it chopped up and tossed in with a salad. Or eaten with your bare hands straight from the fridge. I won’t judge if you don’t!

Freezing Souvlaki

If you want to make these ahead of time, it’s best to freeze them raw. Place the skewers in a large freezer bag and spread them in a single layer with the marinade. You may need more than one bag. Freeze them up to 9 months.

Let the chicken fully thaw overnight in the fridge before continuing with the recipe directions and cooking them. Since we’re working with high heat, we want to make sure the chicken is completely thawed so that the middle will cook through.

More Delicious Greek Recipes To Try

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