Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe (Easy Lemon Garlic Skewers)
Easy Greek chicken souvlaki recipe with a lemon, garlic and oregano marinade. Juicy grilled skewers in pita with tzatziki, cooked on a grill, pan or oven.
Souvlaki is the food Greeks grab on the way home, on a lunch break or late at night after a long evening out. This Greek chicken souvlaki recipe gives you the same juicy, lemony skewers you get from a souvlaki shop in Athens, made with simple ingredients you probably already have. The chicken marinates in olive oil, lemon, garlic and dried oregano, then cooks over high heat until the edges char and the inside stays tender.
The word souvlaki means small skewer, from souvla, the Greek word for a spit. Unlike gyros, which is stacked on a rotating spit and shaved off in slices, souvlaki is cut into cubes and threaded onto sticks before cooking. In Greece it is usually pork, but chicken souvlaki is just as loved and a little quicker to cook.
The secret is in the marinade, and it is not complicated. Good olive oil keeps the meat moist, fresh lemon juice and zest give it that bright Greek flavour, and dried Greek oregano brings the herby smell you remember from every taverna. Thirty minutes of marinating already makes a difference, but two to eight hours is ideal. Do not go longer than a day, because the lemon starts to make the chicken soft and mushy.
You do not need a barbecue. A very hot grill pan or cast-iron skillet gives you great colour, and the oven method works when you are cooking for a crowd. Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast, but both work if you cut the pieces evenly and do not overcook them.
Serve the skewers on a plate with lemon potatoes and Greek salad, or slide them off the stick into warm pita with tzatziki, tomato, red onion and a few fries tucked inside, the way the street stalls do it. For the tzatziki, use the recipe in our Greek chicken gyros post.
Watch how it is made in 21 seconds on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/fBwkuaBqVF4
Ingredients
- 900 g boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 wooden or metal skewers
- 4 thick pita breadsSubstitute: soft flatbread or naan
- 250 g tzatzikiSubstitute: thick Greek yogurt with garlic and lemon
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
Method
- Soak the skewers. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes so they do not burn on the grill.
- Cut the chicken. Trim any thick fat and cut the chicken into even 3 cm cubes. Even pieces cook at the same speed, so none end up dry.
- Mix the marinade. In a large bowl whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, vinegar, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Marinate. Add the chicken, toss until every piece is coated, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 to 8 hours. Do not marinate longer than 24 hours.
- Thread the skewers. Push 5 or 6 pieces of chicken onto each skewer, packing them close together but not squashed. Tightly packed meat stays juicier.
- Heat the grill. Heat a barbecue, grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and brush it lightly with oil. It is ready when a drop of marinade sizzles straight away.
- Cook the souvlaki. Cook the skewers for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until browned on all sides and cooked through to 74°C (165°F) inside. For the oven, bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once.
- Rest. Move the skewers to a plate, squeeze over a little lemon and rest for 3 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat.
- Serve. Warm the pita in a dry pan. Serve the skewers with tzatziki, tomato, red onion and lemon wedges, or pull the chicken off the stick and wrap it all in the pita.
Use chicken thighs for the juiciest result. Add the salt to the marinade, not just at the end, so it seasons the meat all the way through. Leftover cooked souvlaki keeps for 3 days in the fridge, reheat it in a hot pan, not the microwave. For a pork version, use pork shoulder and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between souvlaki and gyros?
Souvlaki is meat cut into cubes and grilled on small skewers. Gyros is meat stacked on a tall rotating spit and shaved into thin slices. Both are served in pita with tzatziki.
How long should I marinate chicken souvlaki?
At least 30 minutes, ideally 2 to 8 hours. Do not go past 24 hours, because the lemon juice starts to break down the chicken and make it mushy.
Can I make chicken souvlaki in the oven?
Yes. Bake the skewers on a lined tray at 220°C (425°F) for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, then put them under the broiler for 2 minutes for colour.
Is chicken breast or thigh better for souvlaki?
Thighs stay juicier and forgive a minute of overcooking. Breast works too if you cut it evenly and take it off the heat as soon as it reaches 74°C (165°F).
What do you serve with chicken souvlaki?
In Greece it comes with pita, tzatziki, tomato, onion and fries. As a plate, serve it with lemon potatoes, rice and a Greek salad.
Can I make souvlaki ahead?
Yes. Marinate the chicken the night before and thread the skewers in the morning. Cook just before serving for the best texture.
