Greek Chicken Souvlaki (Grilled Chicken Kebabs)

About

Why order takeout when these Greek chicken skewers are so easy to make at home? I love Greek food and could eat it every day. Unfortunately, I do not have any Greek or Mediterranean restaurants near me. 

If you’ve never had Greek chicken kebabs, you need to try this recipe. Chicken souvlaki is marinated small pieces of chicken that are skewered and grilled. It can be served as a simple street food, used to make pita wraps, or as part of a plate or platter. Souvlaki is also known as Kalamaki or kebabs. Call it whatever you want. It’s delicious!

Serve chicken souvlaki at a backyard cookout, or enjoy it as a casual family meal for a cozy night at home. You can even make it for a romantic dinner for two. These versatile chicken skewers can match any vibe.

Everyone I know loves this chicken. It’s moist, tender and flavorful. There’s nothing in it to discourage picky eaters. And kids think food on a stick is fun! 

This is one of those main dish recipes that happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, sugar-free, paleo, and kid-friendly. It fits all those diets without making any modifications. Greek chicken souvlaki is perfect for serving a crowd!

Add a few yummy vegetarian options, and you’ve got a meal for entertaining that can meet just about any dietary need! I love serving it with pita, hummus, tzatziki, and Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad.

You can serve it with a Greek salad, use it to make a wrap, or serve it over a rice pilaf with veggies. Or serve with a side of fries or roasted potatoes.

Simple Ingredients

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts are marinated in Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Oregano, and a Blend of Spices.

Instructions

Combine all the marinade ingredients in the container that you plan to marinate the chicken in. I like using a gallon-sized zipper bag for this!

Cut the chicken into 1.5 inch chunks. Try to make the pieces uniform-sized. That will help them cook evenly.

Submerge the chicken in the marinade and let it marinate for 2-12 hours.

If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before adding the chicken.

Skewer the chicken pieces onto 6 bamboo or metal skewers.

Then, clean and oil the grill grates. Light the grill and heat it to medium-high heat.

Grill the chicken skewers for 4 minutes with the lid closed. Then, flip them and grill another 4 minutes with the lid closed.

Continue flipping every 2 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165℉. They should take 10-12 minutes to cook.

Don’t overcook the chicken. That’s what causes chicken breast to be tough and dry. These babies should be tender, moist, and delicious!

Make Ahead and Freezing

Option 1 Freeze the Chicken in the Marinade

1. Make the marinade directly in a freezer bag or vacuum seal bag. Add the cut chicken chunks, remove as much air as possible, and seal the bag. Massage the sealed bag to make sure the chicken gets coated in marinade. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
2. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight before using. It will marinade as it thaws. 
3. Once the chicken is thawed and marinated, follow the instructions to skewer and grill it.

Pro-tip:  Place the bag of chicken inside a bowl as it thaws in the fridge. Just in case the bag leaks. Don’t ask me how I came up with that tip. Yikes!

Option 2 Freeze the Whole Kebabs

1. Make a double or triple batch and follow the instructions to marinate the chicken and load it onto the bamboo skewers. (Use bamboo for this, not metal)
2. Then, carefully place the marinated chicken skewers into a vacuum seal bag and seal. Be careful not to let the bamboo skewers puncture the bag. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
3. Thaw the chicken skewers overnight in the fridge, or thaw the bag in cold water.
4. Follow the recipe instructions for grilling the souvlaki skewers.

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy reheated or cold.

Tips and Tricks

• Clean and oil the grill grates to keep the chicken from sticking. 
• Cut the chicken into uniform-sized pieces so that it cooks evenly.
• Don’t marinate longer than 12 hours. The lemon juice can change the texture of the chicken if it sits too long.

How to Serve Greek Chicken Souvlaki

• Serve chicken souvlaki plates for dinner. Serve the chicken over rice pilaf with Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad or Greek Salad. Don’t forget the tzatziki!
• Assemble a pita wrap by folding chicken souvlaki, tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions in a grilled pita. Serve it with a side of french fries.
• Make a souvlaki platter as a light meal. Include quartered pita, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and lemon wedges. Include tzatziki sauce, tahini dressing, and homemade hummus.
• Add chicken souvlaki to an American-style Greek Salad for extra protein.
• Make a Cyprus-style chicken souvlaki pita by stuffing it into a pita pocket with cabbage, tomatoes, and onions. Top it with yogurt or tzatziki sauce.
• Enjoy the chicken kebabs street food style. Snack on the warm chicken straight off the skewer.
• Serve it as the protein with your favorite green salad. It’s delicious with kale crunch salad!

More Mediterranean Style Recipes

• Vegetable Soup with Red Wine
• Kale and Tahini Salad

Print