Chicken Souvlaki

Chicken Souvlaki is fast to prep, super easy and oh so delicious! Marinated chicken breasts and onions are threaded onto skewers and grilled until juicy and tender. 

Serve souvlaki over rice or wrap it in a pita with lettuce and tomatoes for a perfect meal!

What is Souvlaki?

Souvlaki is meat that has been skewered and grilled, it can be chicken (as in this recipe) or made with beef, lamb or pork to name a few.

Gyro vs Souvlaki: Souvlaki has chunks of meat where a gyro generally has meat that has been thinly sliced/shaved. Shawarma is similar to gyro but has a different preparation and seasonings.

How to Make Chicken Souvlaki

This Souvlaki recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Just marinate, thread, and grill!

1. Marinate: Combine all the ingredients and chill for at least four hours while soaking the skewers.
2. Skewer: Thread chicken and onions onto the soaked skewers
3. Grill: Cook on an oiled grate grill, turning the skewers frequently to ensure the chicken in cooked through and through.

Serve it hot right off the skewer with a side of tzatziki for dipping.

While I love to grill this (I use my grill pan indoors in the colder months), you can make chicken souvlaki in the oven!

To Make Chicken Souvlaki in the oven, prepare skewers as directed. Place skewers on a foil lined pan and turn the broiler on to high. Broil 4-5″ from the heat for 5-6 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 165°F.

How Long to Marinate Chicken Souvlaki

The longer the luscious herbs, spices, and garlic are allowed to infuse into the chicken, the more tender and succulent it will be! That’s what makes chicken souvlaki such an easy recipe, the make-ahead-magic!

Perfect for planning ahead since chicken souvlaki can be made and held in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead!

What to Serve with Souvlaki

Since souvlaki is a grab-and-go kind of snack, simple sides are the best.

• Pitas, lettuce, cucumbers, olives and feta.
• Greek Salad
• Rice, roasted potatoes (with lemon)
• A healthy side of Greek yogurt, some extra tzatziki, or baba ganoush sauce for dipping is also very popular!
• A marinated side of tomatoes and cucumbers bring a tangy bit to the deeply flavored chicken and veggies.

5 from 16 votes

Review Recipe

Chicken Souvlaki

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Marinate 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Holly Nilsson

Marinated chicken, onions, and veggies are threaded onto a skewed and grilled until juicy and tender. 

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Equipment

• ▢
  Grill Pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lemon juiced
• ▢ ⅓ cup olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic crushed
• ▢ salt & black pepper to taste
• ▢ 4 chicken breasts cubed into bite sized pieces
• ▢ 1 onion cut into bite sized pieces

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Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Soak wooden skewers in water (at least 1 hour).
• Thread chicken and onions onto skewers.
• Cook on an oiled grate or grill pan turning skewers frequently for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F.

Recipe Notes

To Cook in the Oven:

Place skewers on a foil lined pan and turn the broiler on to high. Broil 4-5" from the heat for 5-6 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 165°F.

Nutrition uses 1/3 of the marinade (as the rest is discarded).  Nutrition excludes salt.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 326, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 48g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 264mg, Potassium: 895mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 75IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

Course Chicken, Main Course

Cuisine Greek

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