Chicken Souvlaki is a regular in our dinner rotation! We love that it’s fast to prep, super easy, and oh so delicious!
Chicken breasts are marinated in a simple garlic and lemon marinade. Thred them onto skewers and grill until juicy and tender.
You can serve souvlaki with potatoes or rice but my personal favorite is to make it into a wrap with a pita with lots of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki. So good!
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.
The marinade is a very simple herb, lemon, and garlic mixture with a bit of oil.
Gyro vs Souvlaki: Souvlaki has chunks of meat whereas chicken gyros generally has meat that has been thinly sliced/shaved. Shawarma is similar to a gyro but has different preparation and seasonings.
Chicken Souvlaki Marinade
A Greek chicken souvlaki recipe uses a marinade to bring all flavor. Just a few pantry staples are all that are needed: extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano!
The longer the herbs, spices, and garlic are allowed to infuse into the chicken, the more tender the chicken 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.
How to Make Chicken Souvlaki
This Souvlaki recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Just marinate, skewer, and grill!
- Marinate: Whisk together all the ingredients and chill for at least four hours while soaking the skewers.
- Skewer: Thread chicken (and onions if desired) onto the soaked skewers.
- Grill: Cook chicken skewers on an oiled grate grill on medium-high heat, turning the skewers frequently to ensure the chicken is cooked through.
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 with the bite size pieces as directed. Place skewers on a foil-lined pan and turn the broiler on high. Broil 4-5″ from the heat for 5-6 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 165°F.
What to Serve with Souvlaki
Souvlaki is already so delicious, simple sides are the best.
- Warm pita bread, lettuce, cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese.
- Greek Salad, marinated side of tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Rice, Greek Style Lemon Roasted Potatoes, Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- A healthy side of Greek yogurt, some extra tzatziki sauce, or baba ganoush
Delicious Recipes on Skewers
Chicken Souvlaki
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts cubed into bite sized pieces, about 1 ½ lbs
- 1 onion cut into bite sized pieces
Marinade
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add chicken and onions to the marinade.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Soak wooden skewers in water (for 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American, Greek© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Could I make in a large batch and freeze raw?
Hi Louise, yes the chicken can be frozen raw for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Haven’t tried it yet but looks delicious! Can’t wait to make this!
Hope you love it as much as we do Cathy, Let us know how it goes!
Can I try this recipe with boneless thighs, I always find when I use breast meat for kabobs they get a bit dry…this recipe sounds delicious
Absolutely, this would work great with thighs.
absolutely delicious! perfectly moist chicken and perfectly crisped skin. thank you so much! genius!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Is there a pro to using wooden skewers instead of metal skewers?
They can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
I tried this recipe just as it is written and boy was it delicious. I will have to triple this and use it as a meal for family gatherings. I am a triple amputee so I would enlist the help of a few family members. Thanks for another flavorful recipe to add to my repertoire.
Ron Mays
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ron!
I am excited to make this for the 4th of July!
Let us know how it turns out!
Will try chicken souvlaki tonight
Let us know how it turns out!
Made this for dinner tonight and I loved it! A quick, easy and delicious way to cook chicken!
So glad you loved it Christine!
I just did with chicken breast halves and grilled–family enjoyed. thanks–it’s a keeper
I just noticed this only had 1 review so far? Is that right? So I feel it’s only right to leave a comment since this will be my third time making this. This chicken souvlaki recipe is a keeper. My family loves when I make this, and I am happy when an easy to make dish goes over so well with the fam!
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the comment, Greenlee! It makes us so happy to hear when a family loves one of our recipes! :)
This recipe is awesome. I use it when I’m just making chicken breast on the BBQ. And everyone in the house likes it. I even cut the leftovers up and use them for pizza later or in salad it’s definitely versatile.
Gonna try all these soups!!!!!!!
This sounds so good & easy!! Can’t wait to make it. I love your recipes. Thank you