Chicken Souvlaki

Yum–Chicken Souvlaki.  I make it frequently in the summer.  If you’re not familiar with it, souvlaki is Greek street food.  I first tasted it in college at an international food fair.  When I had my own kitchen, I checked a Greek cookbook out of the library and learned how to make it.  Luckily, souvlaki is super easy.

Souvlaki is simply chunks of marinated meat grilled on skewers.  It can be chicken, pork, lamb, or beef.    Sometimes there are vegetables on the skewers with the meat, often not.  Souvlaki is always served with a sauce, usually tzatziki.  I had lamb souvlaki in Chicago with a red-flecked lemony yogurt sauce at a restaurant.  I don’t know what that sauce was, but it was pretty tasty.  (If anybody has an idea, I’m all ears.)

I usually make souvlaki with chicken at home.  There’s always homemade tzatziki, vegetables, and soft pita bread.  I frequently make a Greek-ish lemon rice to go with it, too.  I think souvlaki is best grilled outdoors over charcoal, but even at my house that’s not always practical.  A grill pan, a cast-iron skillet, a griddle, or even a George Foreman grill will work.    

The marinade below is the same one I found at the library ages ago.  I’ve never changed anything.  I’ve used it with chicken, beef, and lamb.  I don’t think I’ve ever made pork souvlaki, but this marinade would work for pork just fine.

One of the nice things about souvlaki is that it’s equally good hot or at room temperature, making it ideal picnic fare.  Slather a soft pita with tzatziki, pile on some Chicken Souvlaki, maybe a tomato slice or two, wrap it all up and you’re good to go.

How do you say “YUM!” in Greek?

Print Recipe

Chicken Souvlaki

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless chicken, cut in 1½-inch pieces

Souvlaki Marinade

• Combine:
• ½ a small onion, sliced thinly
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• juice of one lemon
• 1 T. honey
• 1 t. oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 t. salt
• ½ t. pepper

Instructions

• Marinate the chicken at least 4 hours, overnight is even better.
• When ready to cook, thread the chicken on skewers. Discard marinade.
• Prepare grill for direct cooking. Brush the grates with a little oil and grill the skewers, turning often, for about 5 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer should read 155°-160°. The internal temperature will continue to climb for a few minutes, even off the heat. Let the souvlaki rest for several minutes before serving.
• Serve with pita or rice, vegetables, and tzatziki sauce.