Mediterranean recipes are some of my all-time favorites, and this chicken souvlaki is right up there at the top of my list! Bites of chicken are marinated in a zesty, lemony, garlicky marinade and grilled on skewers, then served wrapped in warm pita with all the fixings!
If you love big, bold flavors and simple, fresh recipes, you’ll love my Greek chicken souvlaki! Serve it with my homemade Pita Bread, Tzatziki Sauce and my easy Greek Salad.
What is Souvlaki?
Souvlaki is a popular Greek street food, and the word souvlaki simply means, “meat grilled on a skewer.” It’s pretty simple, and my version is easy to make at home on an outdoor grill or indoors using a grill pan.
This souvlaki recipe starts with an incredible marinade that infuses the meat with fresh, bold flavors. A drizzle of tzatziki sauce provides a creamy, cool contrast to the juicy grilled chicken. Serve it wrapped in pita with crisp veggies and olives, or alongside a zesty Greek salad. It’s a meal that makes me feel like I’m on vacation in Greece, minus the breathtaking views of course!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a look at what you’ll need for this easy souvlaki recipe:
- Souvlaki Marinade: The flavorful marinade is similar to my favorite Greek Chicken Marinade and it is so good! To make it you’ll need olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper.
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into 1 ½-inch cubes. The bite size-pieces of chicken have lots of surface area to soak up the delicious marinade, just like in my Chicken Kabobs recipe!
- For Serving: You can keep it extra easy with store-bought pita bread, tzatziki sauce and sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and kalamata olives. When I have extra time, I love to make homemade pita (try my Whole Wheat Pita Bread for a whole grain option) and tzatziki, a Greek yogurt-based sauce with fresh cucumber and lemon.
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
How to Make Greek Chicken Souvlaki
Plus, my best tips for making souvlaki!
Marinate the chicken. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add the cubed chicken. Give it a stir to coat all of the chicken pieces with the marinade, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Leave a little room between each chicken piece so that they cook evenly. Discard any leftover used marinade.
Kristine’s Tip: If you’re using wood skewers, soak them in a dish of warm water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill. I like to use reusable metal skewers so that I don’t have to soak them. I prefer flat metal skewers over round (see above photo). The flat edge holds the chicken pieces in place when I flip the skewers on the grill.
Grill over medium-high heat on an outdoor grill or grill pan for 8-12 minutes total, turning every few minutes to cook all sides evenly, until the chicken is cooked through. Then serve with tzatziki sauce and enjoy!
What to Serve with Chicken Souvlaki
Here are a few ways I’ve served this chicken souvlaki:
- Wrapped in pita bread with tzatziki, arugula, sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and kalamata olives.
- In a Greek Chicken Bowl, with rice, lettuce, fresh veggies, olives and tzatziki or hummus.
- With roasted potatoes and a Greek Salad, Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad or Tabouli.
More Mediterranean Recipes
If you love Mediterranean food as much as I do, try one of these recipes next!
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Greek Chicken Souvlaki
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- zest of one small lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
As desired, for serving:
- 1 ½ cups Tzatziki Sauce, for serving
- Pita Bread, or rice or roasted potatoes
- Greek Salad, or baby arugula, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, sliced cucumber
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to mix. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in a dish of warm water for at least 20 minutes. (You can also use metal skewers, no soaking required.)
- Thread chicken onto skewers, being careful not to overcrowd them. (Leave just a tiny space between each chicken piece.) Discard used marinade.
- Grill over medium-high heat on an outdoor grill (lightly oil the grill grates first) or grill pan for 8-12 minutes total, turning every few minutes to cook all sides evenly, until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F.
- Serve with tzatziki sauce and other accompaniments as desired. You can wrap the chicken in pita with arugula, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, cucumber and tzatziki, you can serve the chicken over rice with Greek salad and tzatziki, etc. See the post above for more serving ideas!
Notes
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Nutrition estimate includes chicken and tzatziki sauce only, since other toppings/serving options will vary. Nutrition info assumes that all marinade will be consumed, which it likely won’t be.
