Description
This authentic Greek Chicken Souvlaki recipe features marinated grilled chicken skewers served with a refreshing homemade tzatziki sauce and warm pita bread. Perfectly seasoned with lemon, garlic, and oregano, it's an easy dish that brings the flavors of a Greek taverna right to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade
- 4 boneless chicken breasts (approx. 1 kg/35 ounces)
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For the Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and grated
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 500g strained yogurt (18 ounces)
- 1-2 tbsps red wine vinegar
- pinch of salt
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
For Serving
- 8 pita breads
- olive oil, for brushing
- 1-2 tsps dried oregano
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- fried potatoes (optional)
- romaine (cos) lettuce (optional)
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 8-9 wooden skewers
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: Cut the chicken breasts into 2-3 cm pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands to evenly coat the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes to marinate.
- Make the Tzatziki Sauce: Place olive oil and minced garlic in a blender and blend until combined. Peel and remove seeds from the cucumber, then grate into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and let sit for 10 minutes. Wrap grated cucumber in a clean towel and squeeze out excess water. In a bowl, combine the cucumber, blended garlic and oil, strained yogurt, red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Mix well until smooth. Refrigerate the tzatziki sauce and serve cold.
- Prepare the Skewers: Cut wooden skewers to fit your grill or griddle pan and soak them in water to prevent burning. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers comfortably but not too tightly.
- Cook the Chicken: Preheat a grill or griddle pan over high heat. Grill the chicken skewers for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is nicely browned on all sides and cooked through.
- Prepare the Pita Bread: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius. Brush both sides of each pita bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and dried oregano. Place a large oven tray upside down at the bottom of the oven and arrange the pita breads on top. Bake for 2 minutes until warm and slightly toasted. Alternatively, you can warm the pitas in a grill or griddle pan.
- Serve: On a platter, arrange sliced red onions and place the cooked chicken souvlaki skewers on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve warm with pita breads and tzatziki sauce. For a wrap, spread tzatziki on pita, add chicken, sliced onions, tomatoes, fried potatoes, and lettuce, then wrap and enjoy.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor, but up to 1 hour is better.
- Soaking skewers prevents them from burning during grilling.
- Removing excess cucumber water is key to preventing watery tzatziki sauce.
- For a spicier twist, add a pinch of chili flakes to the marinade.
- Use fresh oregano if possible for a more vibrant flavor.
- Optional fried potatoes inside the wrap add a traditional touch and extra texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer
- Calories: 191 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 8.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.6 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 23.3 g
- Cholesterol: 72 mg
