Chicken Souvlaki is a regular in our dinner rotation! We love that it’s fast to prep, super easy, and oh so delicious!
Chicken breasts are marinated in a simple garlic and lemon marinade. Thred them onto skewers and grill until juicy and tender.
You can serve souvlaki with potatoes or rice but my personal favorite is to make it into a wrap with a pita with lots of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki. So good!
What is Souvlaki?
Souvlaki is meat that has been skewered and grilled, it can be chicken (as in this recipe) or made with beef, lamb, or pork to name a few.
The marinade is a very simple herb, lemon, and garlic mixture with a bit of oil.
Gyro vs Souvlaki: Souvlaki has chunks of meat whereas chicken gyros generally has meat that has been thinly sliced/shaved. Shawarma is similar to a gyro but has different preparation and seasonings.
Chicken Souvlaki Marinade
A Greek chicken souvlaki recipe uses a marinade to bring all flavor. Just a few pantry staples are all that are needed: extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano!
The longer the herbs, spices, and garlic are allowed to infuse into the chicken, the more tender the chicken will be. That’s what makes chicken souvlaki such an easy recipe, the make-ahead magic!
Perfect for planning ahead since chicken souvlaki can be made and held in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead.
How to Make Chicken Souvlaki
This Souvlaki recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Just marinate, skewer, and grill!
- Marinate: Whisk together all the ingredients and chill for at least four hours while soaking the skewers.
- Skewer: Thread chicken (and onions if desired) onto the soaked skewers.
- Grill: Cook chicken skewers on an oiled grate grill on medium-high heat, turning the skewers frequently to ensure the chicken is cooked through.
While I love to grill this (I use my grill pan indoors in the colder months), you can make chicken souvlaki in the oven.
To Make Chicken Souvlaki in the oven, prepare skewers with the bite size pieces as directed. Place skewers on a foil-lined pan and turn the broiler on high. Broil 4-5″ from the heat for 5-6 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 165°F.
What to Serve with Souvlaki
Souvlaki is already so delicious, simple sides are the best.
- Warm pita bread, lettuce, cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese.
- Greek Salad, marinated side of tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Rice, Greek Style Lemon Roasted Potatoes, Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- A healthy side of Greek yogurt, some extra tzatziki sauce, or baba ganoush
Delicious Recipes on Skewers
Chicken Souvlaki
Marinated chicken and onions are threaded onto skewers and grilled until juicy and tender!
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Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add chicken and onions to the marinade.
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Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Soak wooden skewers in water (for at least 1 hour).
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Thread chicken and onions onto skewers.
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Cook on an oiled grate or grill pan turning skewers frequently for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F.
Place skewers on a foil-lined pan and turn the broiler on to high. Broil 4-5″ from the heat for 5-6 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 165°F.
Nutrition uses 1/3 of the marinade (as the rest is discarded). Nutrition excludes salt.
Calories: 326 | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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