I marinate bite-sized chunks of chicken with lemon juice, oregano, and garlic, and then I can grill, bake, or cook them on the stovetop. And really, all it takes is about 20 minutes of my hands-on time to bring out these delicious Greek flavors! I love Greek cuisine. In fact, my Fasolada may be my number one go to quick comfort food. And when I want something on the gourmet side, Shrimp Saganaki and Soutzoukakia are some of my favorites. But this chicken souvlaki takes the gold when I want great Greek food with minimal effort. The secret is in the marinade…
What is Souvlaki?
Souvlaki, pronounced “soov-la-kee”, is a popular Greek street food. Bite sized pieces of meat are marinated, then grilled on a skewer. In fact, the word itself means “meat on skewers”. They are often eaten right off the skewer, but also commonly find their way into pitas. Souvlaki can be made with different types of meat, but today I am going with chicken.
Ingredients Needed
Chicken – Chicken tenders or breast are more traditional, but thighs work great too. Extra virgin olive oil – Good quality, please. Lemon juice – Always freshly squeezed. Oregano – I am using dried. If you have fresh, use triple the amount. Salt and pepper
Chicken Souvlaki Recipe
I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them in a zip top bag. I mix all of the marinade ingredients together and pour it over the chicken. I squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible, then seal it. I make sure everything is combined well by agitating the bag with my hands, then I let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, or even better, overnight. I skewer the chicken onto metal skewers, or wooden skewers that I’ve soaked in water for at least 30 minutes. Then, I cook it according to any of the following method depending on my mood that day.
Grill Method: I preheat the grill over medium-high heat and grill the skewers for 8-10 minutes, turning them halfway through. Oven Method: To bake them, I preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. I place the skewers on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and bake for 15 minutes, then broil for a couple more minutes to get a nice char. Stovetop Method: For this method, I heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the skewers for 6-8 minutes per side.
After cooking, I transfer the skewers to a serving platter and let them rest for 3 minutes before serving. This helps the juices redistribute, making the chicken even more flavorful.
Serving Suggestions
So many options here! I like to serve my chicken souvlaki as part of a Mezze Platter along with olives, veggies and dips like Hummus, Melitzanosalata and Tyrokafteri. They’re great over a fresh salad for a light, low carb meal. I love these Greek chicken bites in pitas with fixings like tomatoes, cucumber and Tzatziki. Some days I make a bowl meal. I put a bed of rice, like my Greek Lemon Rice, in a bowl and top it with souvlaki and grilled veggies like eggplant, tomatoes, peppers or mushrooms. Have it alongside our Loaded Layered Hummus Dip and some pita bread.
Jason’s Tips
Marination Time: The longer I let the chicken sit in the marinade, the tastier it gets. I find that letting it marinate overnight really soaks in the flavors. Seal the Flavor: When I close the zip top bag, I push out as much air as I can. This way, the marinade touches more of the chicken, making it even tastier. Skewer Preparation: If I use wooden skewers, I soak them in water first. This stops them from burning up on the grill. Even Pieces for Even Cooking: I make sure to cut the chicken into pieces that are all the same size. This helps them cook evenly, no matter how I decide to cook them. Resting is Key: After cooking, I let the chicken rest a few minutes. This makes sure all the juices spread out inside the meat, making it really juicy and tender.
Try my Greek flavors in your own kitchen. You’ll be amazed by how a few humble ingredients can transform your chicken. When you try it, let us know how you like it. Save or pin this recipe for those busy days. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new easy recipes for you!
Chicken Souvlaki, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great Mediterranean Dishes!Chicken MarbellaCrockpot Greek ChickenSteak PizzaiolaShrimp with PolentaChicken Pastina SoupRibollita SoupPasta e PiselliFasolakia
