My Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers are on regular rotation not only in the summer grilling season but in the cooler months too. The easy dinner recipe comes together so quickly, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Pair it with Mediterranean yellow rice, homemade tzatziki, Greek salad or my fresh and bright chopped cucumber and tomato salad. Scroll down for more serving and pairing ideas!
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Ingredients
It's as simple and delicious as it gets. This is what you will need for this recipe:
- Chicken. I like using lean boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. When figuring out how much chicken I need, I will usually use 1 ½ chicken breasts per person. But you know your family and friends better than me, so you may need more or less. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Check out some of my other chicken skewer recipes: Chicken Shish Tawook and Harissa Chicken Skewers.
- Dried Herbs. I like using a combination of dried oregano (preferably Greek) and dried thyme. You can skip the thyme and use oregano if that’s all you have. I use the same dry herb combination in my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes recipe. Can you use fresh herbs? You can. But I still think dried herbs are best. They impart flavor onto the meat quickly so you don’t have to let the chicken marinate for too long.
- Acid. Lemon juice is traditional. The acidity from the lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken. Some recipes also call for red wine vinegar, which you can use a splash of here but I don’t think it’s necessary.
- Garlic. I like using grated fresh garlic cloves in my marinade, but you can totally use garlic powder instead.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a complete list of ingredients with quantities.
How to Make Chicken Souvlaki Skewers
This is an incredibly easy recipe to make, especially on a weeknight.
Step 1. Make the Souvlaki Marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
Step 2. Marinate the Chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade, ensuring each piece is well coated. Cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, though 2-3 hours will yield the best flavor.
Step 3. Skewer the Chicken. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers.
Step 4. Grill to perfection. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Grill the skewers for about 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has nice grill marks. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (75°C). Remove from the grill and let the skewers rest for a few minutes before serving.
Pairings and Sides
This recipe lends itself to so many meal options. I will usually serve the skewers with rice (either my vermicelli rice, saffron rice or Mediterranean yellow rice). You can make a more substantial meal by including one of my potato sides (spicy Lebanese potatoes or garlic roasted potatoes). This is also an excellent meal prep recipe.
In terms of fresh salad, I recommend my Jerusalem salad (chopped cucumber and tomatoes), Fattoush or Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce and feta salad). For a heartier side, try my Bean Antipasto Salad.
You can also serve the grilled chicken souvlaki skewers on a platter with toppings and sides so that your guests can make their own wraps. Serve with homemade Greek pita, creamy tzatziki sauce, lemon mint yogurt sauce, feta cheese, kalamata olives, lemon wedges, and sliced vegetables (tomatoes, onions).
You can even serve the chicken with my sumac onions or pickled red onion recipe. Check out my extensive list of condiments and sauces.
Expert Tips
- Don’t Rush the Marinade. While 30 minutes is the minimum, letting the chicken marinate longer enhances the flavor and tenderness. A couple of course should do it. I wouldn’t marinate the chicken breast overnight, as the lemon juice will break down the meat too much in my opinion.
- Uniform Chicken Pieces. Cutting the chicken into even chunks ensures consistent cooking and prevents some pieces from drying out while others remain undercooked.
- Use metal skewers. I love my short and easy to clean metal skewers. The best part is that they do not burn on the grill! But if you only have bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before skewering and grilling on an outdoor grill. It’ll help limit or delay any scorching.
- Preheat the Grill Properly. A hot grill ensures beautiful sear marks and prevents sticking. If you want to prepare this recipe during the winter months, I recommend using a stovetop grill pan (affiliate link).
- Use your oven. No grill or grill pan? No problem! Bake your chicken skewers on a sheet pan in the oven or air fryer.
- Use a Meat Thermometer. For perfectly cooked chicken, aim for an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can marinate the chicken up to 2 hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container. Skewers can also be assembled ahead of time and kept covered with plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to grill.
Absolutely. You can freeze the marinated chicken (before skewering) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before threading onto skewers and grilling.
Store any leftover skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave to avoid drying out the chicken. The chicken will most probably be drier upon reheating, so serve it with a sauce like my Tzatziki.
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Recipe Card
Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers Recipe (with Sides)
Equipment
- Grill pan or outdoor grill
Ingredients
Chicken Souvlaki
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice - Juice of one lemon
- 2-3 Garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1½ inch chunks)
Sides, Salads and Sauces
- Homemade Tzatziki
- Saffron rice
- Chopped salad
- Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad)
- Pickled onions
- Feta cheese, lemon wedges, Kalamata olives
Instructions
- Make the Souvlaki Marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 2-3 Garlic cloves (minced), 1 tablespoon Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon Dried thyme, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon Black pepper.
- Marinate the Chicken. Add 3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1½ inch chunks) to the marinade, ensuring each piece is well coated. Cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, though 2 hours will yield the best flavor.
- Skewer the Chicken. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers.
- Grill to perfection. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Grill the skewers for about 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has nice grill marks. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (75°C). Remove from the grill and let the skewers rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Chicken. I like using lean boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. When figuring out how much chicken I need, I will usually use 1 ½ chicken breasts per person. But you know your family and friends better than me, so you may need more or less. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Dried Herbs. I like using a combination of dried oregano (preferably Greek) and dried thyme. You can skip the thyme and use oregano if that’s all you have.
- Acid. Lemon juice is traditional. The acidity from the lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken.
Zainab says
So easy and delicious. I did add some yogurt to the marinade like in your shishtawok recipe. But I suppose I didn’t have to.
Luay Ghafari says
Glad you liked it. I have made the recipe with and without the yogurt. I feel like if you are cooking the skewers on an outdoor grill, using the yogurt in the marinade is optional. I wouldn't use yogurt if I was going to grill indoors on a grill pan.