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Chicken Souvlaki

Name: Chicken Souvlaki
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1-1/2 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes ((about 2 large)); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tbsp dried oregano; juice of half a lemon; 2 tbsp mustard; 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt; 2 tbsp olive oil; garnish with lemon slices and fresh oregano

Last Updated: November 8, 2023

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Prep

10 minutes

Cook

15 minutes

Yield

4 -6 skewers

This delicious Chicken Souvlaki recipe is easy-to-make and makes a great summer meal. As a Greek souvlaki is a staple in my house and I think you're going to love this recipe.

It only seemed fitting to have my first official chicken recipe on my blog to be a Greek-inspired dish. These Chicken Souvlaki are a go-to for an easy dinner. They’re so simple to put together, they are delicious on the BBQ, and the leftovers go great in a wrap or salad for lunch the day after.

These Chicken Souvlaki skewers are infused with vibrant Greek flavors that I know and love. They’re marinades in lemon juice, oregano, garlic, and olive oil that tenderizes the meat and adds a zesty punch of flavor. You’ll get why us Greeks are so obsessed with our souvlaki.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Chicken Souvlaki

Flavorful: The flavors in this marinade are seriously so good and delicious. What I love about a Greek chicken marinade is the freshness that comes from the lemon, combined with the savory garlic, and earthy olive oil. It truly all mixes together to make the best flavor.
Versatile: Grill these up and eat them on their own, serve them in a pita, or on a Greek salad. These Chicken Souvlaki skewers are the perfect go-to for an easy summer meal. BBQ some up at the beginning of the week to have them on hand to use in a variety of ways.
Kid-Friendly: What I love about skewers is that they please everyone, even the picky eaters. You can get your kids involved in making these skewers and even skewer some veggies on them for a pop of colour.

Greek chicken souvlaki on skewers on a plate

🍲 Ingredients

Chicken – If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I was vegan for a very long time, however, over the years I have come out of my vegan shell and incorporated more protein into my diet. Not only is it an easy and versatile source of protein, but it also has a lot of great vitamins and minerals, is great for building muscle, promoting heart health, and so much more.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Chicken Souvlaki

Make the marinade by whisking together salt, pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano, lemon juice, mustard, greek yogurt and olive oil. Add the chicken cubes and let sit in the bowl at room temp for 30 minutes. Alternatively, cover and marinate in the fridge for 60 minutes.
When the chicken is marinated, thread the chicken onto the skewers and heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400F.
Oil the grill well and when heated, place the skewers on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked through (internal temperature reached 165F) and well browned.
Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. See notes for serving suggestions.

🗒 Tips and Tricks

Reheat: Reheat leftovers by placing your souvlaki onto the grill on medium-low heat until heated through.
Marinating: Marinades with lemon are delicious but when you leave them for too long on your meat, it’ll break down the proteins too much, making the meat tough and rubbery so do not leave this marinade for more than a couple of hours.
Veggies: Add veggies onto your skewers or separately on their own skewers. BBQ them up as well and you’ll have delicious chicken and veggies to serve for dinner.
Skewers: To avoid your skewers burning on the BBQ, soak them in water for 15 minutes before skewering them.

🗒 Substitutions

Chicken Breast: You can substitute your chicken breasts for chicken thighs. You can also use this marinade on any cut of chicken in other recipes as well. For example, chicken wings or drumsticks.
Greek Yogurt: You can sub Greek yogurt in this recipe for sour cream but I love the extra protein boost that Greek yogurt provides.
Oregano: Swap the oregano for your favorite seasonings like parsley, or basil.
Skewers: You don’t have to skewer this Chicken Souvlaki, you can use the marinade and just pan fry or bake your chicken.

🗒 Best served with

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-days.

🤔 Common Questions

What is souvlaki marinade made of?

The key to this simple marinade is garlic, oregano, and mustard. The combination of olive oil and lemon makes it so good.

What is chicken souvlaki made of?

Chicken breasts are marinated with a simple marinade with garlic and lemon.

What is a Greek souvlaki?

Marinated meat on a skewer that you can find on its own or also on wraps with things like hummus, tomatoes, olives, feta, etc.

What should I serve with Chicken Souvlaki?

Traditionally you’ll find Chicken Souvlaki served on a warm pita with your favorite toppings like olives, feta, tomato, and cucumber, and a good slathering of tzatziki. You can also find it served with rice and homemade Greek Salad.