Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe (Seasoned Chicken Kebabs)

This delicious chicken souvlaki recipe is lemon and herb marinated kebabs that are grilled to perfection and served up with tzatziki.

Souvlaki is a classical Greek dish and is marinated and grilled meat kebabs that are often served on the skewer, on pita bread, and always with tzatziki. Souvlaki translates to the word, “skewer.” Traditionally the meat would feature pork or lamb, but in the last century or so, chicken and beef have become popularized.

If you do some research on souvlaki, you’ll find that there are some nuances between the main seasonings and marinade.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 3 pounds of 1” cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ½ peeled and julienne large red onion
• 3 mashed garlic cloves
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon dry rosemary or thyme
• 1 teaspoon each paprika and cumin (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Marinate time: 12 hours

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Procedures:

1. Add the chicken to a large bowl along with the onions, cloves, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, rosemary, optional ingredients, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly until completely combined.
2. Cover in plastic and keep in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 24 hours.
3. Preheat the grill to high heat, between 450° and 550° F.
4. Skewer the chicken meat between 8 10” skewers or until all of the meat has been skewered.
5. Place the souvlaki directly onto the hot grill about ½” to 1” apart from each other and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until browned and cooked throughout.
6. Serve with lemon, tzatziki, and pita.

Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done grilling. You can keep warm on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment or wrapped in foil and keep in the oven on low heat for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Reheat: Place the desired amount of souvlaki directly onto a hot grill on high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until hot. Alternatively, you can place the souvlaki skewers on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and heat them in the oven at 375° for 5-7 minutes or until warmed. You can also remove the chicken from the skewer and heat it in the microwave until hot.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Remove the meat from the skewer, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

You may also use de-boned chicken thigh or drum meat.

Feel free to cook on the skewers under the broiler in the oven.

[Kma]

Your mediterranian heritage here again provides great recipes! You know, here in germany people go to greek restaurants where they don't even serve a slice of lemon with the souvlaki. So i really enjoyed the fresh things on your plate. Greetings from half greek Alex

[cardhobby]

We gotta get you to a million subscribers, Chef! You're definitely one of my favorites!

[mohammedal-humaikani]

Yesterday, after 14 hours hard working, I returned home and made this recipe.
It was something made my body feel better after that hard working.
Thank you 😊.

[Aaron-vtgh]

I love serving these on pitas w some more red onion and tomatoes. And the homemade Tzatziki is key! Nice video chef

[NikosDIY]

I am greek and I approve this message! That's exactly how I make my tzatziki.
Fun fact, in Athens we usually combine pork souvlaki with tzatziki and chicken with a mayo-ketchup sauce.

[tonyxenos]

Good job Billy. Put it in pita bread w tzatziki, French fries cooked in olive oil, lettuce, feta, onion, tomatoe and wedge of lemon. French fries in the pita bread w these other ingredients is key

[missmaam]

Chef Parisi, throw those cucumber seeds to your backyard chickens! 😘

[rrichardson]

Excellent recipe! I'm going to prepare mine with chicken, beef and pork. Thanks for sharing !

[MariaGonzalez-mbtv]

Alway looking for good Chicken recipes. More to follow.

[gmejia]

Thank you for the videos keep them coming…, let us know if you ever have a weekend in person workshop…

[armenian_with_liza]

Great channel! I just discovered it.. Very clear and practical!! Also, very aesthetic and appetizing to watch! haha

[Maurice]

Wow, Billy. This is amazing!

Tonight my family had one of the best meals ever, for us it's top 5. I am not a trained cook but I do love cooking and I really appreciate your focus on technique and attention to detail. Adding salt to the cucumber and then squeezing out the remaining water to get better tzatziki or packing the Kebabs tightly so they are simple, so important. We made this recipe and the salad from your previous video...the dressing alone is worth trying that recipe.

A few suggestions for anyone trying this for the first time with the tzatziki: I overdid it with the garlic and lemon so I am going to adjust it the next time and would recommend adding those slowly and to taste.

If you are ever in the bay area, my family would love to take you to dinner.

[gfantom]

Hello, please allow me to share my opinion, a small information about what you made and some tips in general .
The souvlaki is traditionally made with pork (accompanied with bread ) not lamb, and the newest addition to that street food is chicken and beef ( accompanied with pita bread ) .
We don't eat lamb in Greece more then 2, maximum 4 times a year, depending some certain dishes and occasions and of course it also depends in which area in Greece you live . Even from ancient times it wasn't our meat of preference despite what people thinks . These animals are used for the production of cheeses and yogurt.
Also inside the Tzatziki we put red vinegar not
lemon and for the amount you made, a tea spoon should be right and of course as you mentioned correctly no herbs .As for the meat marinate and the herb of preference, greek oregano is enough ( Oregano is a Greek word, it means mountain-joy ) .
Nice video my friend as always, stay safe, God bless .

[halwakka]

4:30 super complicated recipe for using the cucumber seeds/innards: Slice a tomato, sprinkle the slices with some salt and pepper and top with the cucumber. :)

[gayatribankeshwar]

All your recipes are unique, thanks for

[rhondaelmore]

I have been doing kebabs wrong for years. I usually leave a little space between the meats to make sure the meat cooks completely. My kebabs are usually dry. 😕 I going to try this recipe and hopefully have better results.

[MrChrisg]

Hey Billy, really appreciate you. Do you have a note on how to do this in the oven? As in temp and time cooked? Thanks much.

[jckelley]

I am cooking this tomorrow. Marinating chicken tonight!

[wizdomthasoldier]

First cook ive seen on yt mentioning that cutting board bit

[CrowLady_]

just made this and your pita bread recipe and WOW! one of the best meals i've had in a while, and it was so fun to make too :D
my dad grilled everything after i prepared it, and my mom helped me with the bread. i was hoping to find a good recipe to replace the greek place near us (because it is soo expensive!) but this just tastes so much better too! it makes me wish i didn't get full so i could eat some more.. i feel like this is going to become a staple recipe with my family.
i hope to have it with your spanakopita recipe next time! maybe next weekend i'll try to make some :]
just wow.. such good food.