Chicken Souvlaki

Make your own delicious Greek Chicken Souvlaki, perfectly marinated so that it’s tender and juicy. Served with warm pita and creamy tzatziki sauce, it’s like you took a trip to Greece without ever leaving home.

What is Souvlaki?

In Greek, the word souvlaki means “meat on skewers“, but in Greece, the term souvlaki can also be used to describe the tasty meal that includes those skewers.

When you order this street food specialty in Athens or from a Greek vendor in your neighborhood, typically, Greek chicken souvlaki is served with warm pita and tzatziki sauce, with fresh veggies on the side.

If you’re looking for other chicken kabob or skewered meat recipes, try my Mexican-Inspired Fajita Chicken Kabobs, or one of my favorites, Lebanese Shish Tawook.

Chicken Shawarma is another grilled chicken dish that is served wrapped in a Pita that you have to try.

I also love making Grilled Shrimp Kabobs and Grilled Veggie Kabobs!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. The Best Marinade for Chicken Souvlaki – The most important part of this chicken souvlaki recipe is the marinade! Without it, you will just have boring grilled chicken. My Greek souvlaki chicken marinade is perfectly seasoned with garlic and oregano, with the right amount of acid from fresh lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil for richness.
2. Traditional Flavors – And while I created this marinade to give the chicken the best tender, juicy texture, the flavors are spot on as well. You’ll be grilling chicken souvlaki skewers at home that taste exactly like the ones you’d be served in Greece.
3. An Easy Recipe – If you know how to grill chicken, you’re already well on your way to being an expert at making this souvlaki recipe. It takes a few minutes to mix up the marinade and a few more minutes to cook the chicken skewers. The hardest part is waiting for the chicken souvlaki to finish marinating!

Ingredients In This Chicken Souvlaki Recipe

Here’s what you need to make the marinade for chicken souvlaki:

• Chicken: Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut them into cubes that are about 1 inch wide.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds acidity to the marinade and helps to tenderize the chicken. Be sure to use fresh lemons, as the flavor from bottled lemon juice is just not the same.
• Olive Oil: good quality extra virgin olive oil is a must for our chicken souvlaki marinade. It adds moisture and richness to the meat.
• Garlic: Three whole cloves of garlic, minced very finely or pressed give chicken souvlaki a warm, savory flavor.
• Salt, Pepper, and Oregano: To finish up the marinade, season it well. Oregano is a common herb in Greece and a key ingredient here.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Chicken Souvlaki

1. Make the Marinade: It’s easiest to mix the marinade right in the ziplock bag you’ll use to marinate the chicken. Add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the bag and mix well.
2. Marinate the Chicken: Seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours so that the chicken absorbs all of the wonderful flavors.
3. Skewer the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken onto pre-soaked wooden skewers, leaving space on the ends of the skewers for turning.
4. Grill: Preheat your grill or a grill pan on the stove. Apply a small amount of oil to the grates to prevent sticking. Once hot, add the chicken skewers, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)
5. Serve: Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes, then serve with your favorite sides.

Recipe Tips

• Marinate for the right amount of time. If you don’t marinate the chicken long enough, it won’t be flavorful, but if you let it marinate too long, the acid will start to break down the meat too much. The ideal marinating time for chicken souvlaki is somewhere between 1 and 4 hours.
• Try Chicken Thighs. Chicken breast is the traditional protein used for chicken souvlaki, but you can also make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Skewers. Leave a bit of space between each piece of chicken so that the meat cooks evenly.
• Let the Chicken Rest. Resting the chicken for just a few minutes allows it to retain its juices and remain moist.

What To Serve With Chicken Souvlaki

These Greek Souvlaki skewers can be enjoyed as a main dish with your family’s favorite dinner side dishes, but for an authentic meal, I suggest enjoying souvlaki with classic Greek fixings.

Creamy Tzatziki Sauce, Yogurt Flatbreads, and a healthy Greek Salad will help tie together a delicious meal.

You might also like to try my Orzo Greek Salad with chicken souvlaki!

Storing Tips

Store leftover grilled chicken souvlaki in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. It’s delicious cold, added to a salad or wrap, or you can reheat it in the microwave for a minute if you like.

Before storing, ensure that the chicken souvlaki has cooled down to near room temperature. Storing while it’s still hot can lead to condensation in the container, which can promote bacterial growth.

If you need to store it for longer, you can freeze the chicken souvlaki for up to 3 months. Make sure to use freezer-safe containers or freezer ziptop bags. When you’re ready to eat it, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it as above.

Recipe FAQs

More Grilling Recipes to Try

Grilled Corn

Grilled BBQ Chicken

Grilled Salmon

Grilled T-Bone Steak

This easy Chicken Souvlaki Recipe is so simple to make, and completely delicious! Pin the recipe, and make this the next time you need a new and exciting way to cook chicken breast.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 26 votes

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Chicken Souvlaki

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Marinating Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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Greek Chicken Souvlaki, perfectly marinated, tender, and juicy. Served with warm pita, Greek Salad, and creamy tzatziki sauce.

4 Servings

Greek Chicken Souvlaki, perfectly marinated, tender, and juicy. Served with warm pita, Greek Salad, and creamy tzatziki sauce.

Recipe Video

Equipment

• Cast Iron Grill Pan or outdoor grill
• Skewers
• Gallon sized Ziploc bag
• Kitchen thermometer

Ingredients 

1/2x1x2x3x

• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 pounds (900 g) chicken breast boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces

For Serving, Optional:

• ▢ Flatbreads
• ▢ Tzatziki
• ▢ Greek Salad

Instructions 

• In a zip-top bag, combine olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and ground black pepper to create the marinade. Mix these ingredients thoroughly.
• Add the chicken breast pieces into the bag, ensuring any excess air is removed before sealing. Gently massage the bag to ensure the marinade fully coats each piece of chicken.
• Place the bag in the refrigerator and leave it to marinate for a minimum of one hour, up to a maximum of four hours.
• Prior to grilling, soak wooden skewers in water for approximately 20-30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
• Thread the marinated chicken onto the pre-soaked skewers.
• Preheat your grill or grill pan. Apply a small amount of oil to the grill grates or the grill pan to prevent sticking.
• Once hot, add the chicken skewers to the grill or pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
• Remove the chicken skewers from the grill or pan and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This will help the chicken to retain its juices and remain moist.
• Serve the Chicken Souvlaki with flatbreads, Greek salad, and tzatziki sauce for a complete meal.

Notes:

• Marinate for the right amount of time. If you don’t marinate the chicken long enough, it won’t be flavorful, but if you let it marinate too long, the acid will start to break down the meat too much. The ideal marinating time for chicken souvlaki is somewhere between 1 and 4 hours.
• Try Chicken Thighs. Chicken breast is the traditional protein used for chicken souvlaki, but you can also make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
• Soak The Skewers. Wooden skewers will burn if you don’t soak them in water for 20-30 minutes first.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Skewers. Leave a bit of space between each piece of chicken so that the meat cooks evenly.
• Let the Chicken Rest. Resting the chicken for just a few minutes allows it to retain its juices and remain moist.
• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2skewers, Calories: 389kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 48g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 555mg, Potassium: 883mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.5g, Vitamin A: 92IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen