This Grilled Chicken Souvlaki is loaded with flavor! The chicken gets marinated in lots of garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs! Then it’s grilled until golden brown on the outside and juicy on the inside! Serve with some creamy tzatziki sauce and tender pita bread for an amazing Mediterranean-inspired meal!

Grilled chicken skewers on a serving platter with lemon slices.

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    Kelley Simmons Kelley’s Tips

    Before You Get Started

    • Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes! For the most flavor packed chicken souvlaki, don’t skip that marinating time.
    • Don’t over cook the chicken! Avoid over cooking the chicken breast to ensure tender, juicy chicken. Use a meat thermometer if needed to cook the chicken to 165 degrees!
    • Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading on your chicken. This will help prevent the skewers from burning on the grill. I prefer using metal skewers to help skip this step!
    Kelley
    Ingredients needed for chicken souvlaki recipe.

    Ingredients Needed

    Chicken souvlaki uses pantry staples that you might already have on hand! Here’s what you’ll need:

    • Chicken Breast: Chicken breast is my preferred meat here. You could also use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer!
    • Olive Oil: A bit of olive oil is added to the marinade for added fat.
    • Lemon: Fresh lemon juice brightens the marinade and adds a bit of acid!
    • Garlic: You will use 5 whole garlic cloves in the marinade!
    • Seasonings: Oregano, Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper are used to season this chicken!

    How to Make Chicken Souvlaki

    • Make the Marinade: Cut the chicken into cubes. Add chicken, oil, lemon juice, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat the chicken in the marinade.
    Chicken with other ingredients in a ziplock bag.
    1. Let the Flavors Marinate: Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. If you want to marinade the chicken longer, place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours. If using wooden skewers, let them soak in water while the chicken is marinating.
    Chicken marinating in a ziplock bag.
    1. Preheat Grill: When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
    Raw chicken on skewers on a cutting board.
    1. Prep the Skewers: Grease the grill gates with non stick cooking spray. Thread the chicken pieces onto the kabobs.
    Chicken souvlaki cooking on the grill.
    1. Grill: Place on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes, making sure to turn them so that all sides get golden brown.
    Chicken skewers on a white serving platter.
    1. Serve: Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce for dipping!
    Grilled chicken skewers on a white serving platter.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is souvlaki?

    Greek chicken souvlaki means “meat on skewers”. Souvlaki can refer to just the grilled chicken skewers, or it also refers to the grilled meat inside a pita bread, topped with tzatiki sauce and other fixings like onion, cucumber and sometimes even french fries!

    Can I make this in the oven?

    Absolutely! To mimic the char from the grill I like to broil the chicken on high for 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees!

    How long does this chicken keep?

    Leftover chicken souvlaki is perfect for meal prep! I like to store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make them into bowls with rice, veggies and some tzatziki!

    Hand holding a pita filled with chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce.

    Serving Suggestions

    You can eat Greek chicken souvlaki on its own with some homemade tzatiki sauce, or you can make it a full meal! Pack the chicken into naan bread and top it off with tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, and Kalamata olives. You can also serve this chicken along side some hummus, a Mediterranean-inspired salad, and some homemade pita chips.

    If you are looking to meal prep, pop the chicken into Tupperware along with tumeric rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, and top it all of with some creamy tzatziki sauce!

    Glass container with rice, tzatziki sauce, chicken, and vegetables.

    More Mediteranean Recipes

    Recipe

    Chicken Souvlaki

    5 from 3 votes
    This Chicken Souvlaki recipe takes a phenomenal street food and brings it to your kitchen! Pair with some creamy tzatziki sauce and tender pita bread for an amazing Mediterranean-inspired meal!
    Author: Kelley Simmons
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Marinating Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Serves 4
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    Save this Recipe

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      Ingredients 

      Instructions

      • Add chicken, oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat the chicken in the marinade.
      • Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. If you want to marinate the chicken longer place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
        If using wooden skewer soak them while the chicken is marinating.
      • When you are ready to cook the chicken preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Grease the grill grates with non stick cooking spray.
        Thread the chicken pieces onto the kabobs.
      • Place on the grill and cook for 6-8 making sure to turn them so all of the sides get golden brown. 
        Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce for dipping! 

      Nutrition Information

      Calories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 25gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 425mgPotassium: 498mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 59IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg

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