Chicken souvlaki is a popular Greek street-food favorite: juicy grilled chicken, warm pita, cool tzatziki, and fresh tomato, cucumber, and red onion.
A lemon, olive oil, garlic, and oregano marinade gives the chicken bright Mediterranean flavor. The pieces cook quickly on a hot grill or skillet and stay juicy when cut evenly.
Cut the chicken into similar-size pieces and leave room between them on the skewers. Crowding traps steam and prevents the browned edges that make souvlaki so good.
Serving Suggestions
Serve in warm pita with tzatziki, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and lemon. Greek salad, roasted potatoes, or grilled vegetables make easy sides.
Recipe Notes
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water before grilling.
Greek Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden or metal skewers
- Tongs
- Fine grater
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
Tzatziki and Serving
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 medium cucumber grated and squeezed dry
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 4 pitas pita breads warmed
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken:
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and paprika in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers, leaving a little space between the pieces.
Make the Tzatziki:
- Stir the yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley together. Season lightly with salt and refrigerate until serving.
Grill and Serve:
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the skewers for 10 to 12 minutes, turning often, until browned and the chicken reaches 165 F (74 C).
- Warm the pita. Fill each with chicken, tzatziki, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and lemon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken thighs stay juicy and are ideal for skewers.
- Squeeze the cucumber dry so the tzatziki stays thick.
- The chicken can also be cooked without skewers in a hot skillet.