Chicken Souvlaki
This Chicken Souvlaki recipe is an easy grilled chicken dinner that brings classic Greek flavors right to your table. The chicken turns out tender, juicy, and lightly charred, making it perfect for busy weeknights, summer cookouts, or meal prep. Serve these flavorful chicken skewers with Greek salad, rice, or wrapped in warm pita for a fresh and satisfying Mediterranean meal.
If I'm out for Greek, I'm definitely ordering souvlaki. I love souvlaki whether it's chicken, pork, beef, or lamb. The marinade in this recipe is so versatile, I use it for chicken, but also when making beef, lamb, or pork souvlaki. If making lamb souvlaki, buy lamb leg and cut into 1" cubes. When making pork souvlaki use pork tenderloin (not pork loin). For beef, you can use your favorite grilling steak cut into 1" cubes.
Chicken souvlaki goes great with Greek salad, and roast potatoes, but you could also serve it with my Italian Pasta Salad. And if you are looking for a cocktail to sip alongside, give a Limoncello Spritz a try. It's lemony flavor will fit right in.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Packed with Greek flavor - Bright, fresh Mediterranean flavors make every bite delicious.
- Juicy and tender - Marinating helps keep the chicken flavorful and moist on the grill.
- Great for grilling season - Perfect for summer barbecues, backyard dinners, and cookouts.
- Versatile serving options - Serve it with Greek salad, rice, roasted potatoes, or tuck it into warm pita wraps.
- Perfect for meal prep - Make extra so you can enjoy the leftovers in bowls, wraps, salads, or lunches throughout the week.
- Family-friendly - Simple flavors that both kids and adults tend to enjoy.
- Healthy dinner option - A protein-packed meal that pairs easily with fresh vegetables and lighter sides.
Ingredients
Exact quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts - Lean and tender, chicken breasts soak up the marinade beautifully and become juicy and flavorful on the grill.
- Olive oil - Helps coat the chicken, adds richness, and keeps the meat moist while grilling.
- Lemon juice - Adds bright, fresh flavor and helps tenderize the chicken during marinating.
- Garlic - Brings a bold savory flavor that pairs perfectly with classic Greek-inspired seasonings.
- Dried oregano - The signature flavor in chicken souvlaki, which gives the chicken its classic Greek taste.
- Salt - Enhances all of the flavors and helps season the chicken throughout.
- Cracked black pepper - Adds a subtle warmth and a little extra depth to the marinade.
Instructions
For exact quantities used, please see the recipe card at the bottom.
- Add all the marinade ingredients to a bowl.
- Whisk the marinade together to form a homogenous mixture.
- Add the cubed chicken to the marinade. Mix together so that all the chicken is covered in the marinade. Allow the chicken to rest for 30 minutes to a couple of hours.
- Skewer the marinated chicken on bamboo skewers.
Hint: When using bamboo skewers, it is helpful to soak them for at least 30 minutes in water. This helps to prevent the skewer from burning too fast while grilling and aids in the ease of chicken removal after cooking.
5. Heat your grill to about 350F.
6. Add your skewers to the grill and allow them to cook for about 4 minutes per side until fully cooked. You can check doneness with a meat thermometer reading of 165F.
Substitutions
This recipe only uses a few ingredients so substitutions could really change the flavor. That being said, you could do the following subs:
- Olive oil - replace it with a mild flavored cooking oil like refined avocado oil.
- Fresh lemon juice - I do not recommend using bottled lemon juice, the results will be disappointing.
- Fresh garlic - if you must, you could use ½ teaspoon garlic powder
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Variations
As mentioned earlier, this marinade can be used to make pork, beef, and lamb souvlaki as well.
- Lamb souvlaki - Use leg of lamb for best results
- Beef souvalki - Your favorite grilling steak will work, like striploin, tenderloin etc.
- Pork Souvlaki - Use pork tenderloin - not pork loin.
Equipment
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- Bamboo or metal skewers for grilling. But if you don't have any skewers, you can cut the chicken into long strips about ½" to ¾" thick and lay them perpendicular to the grates and cook them that way.
- Large mixing bowl for marinating the chicken in.
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Whisk
- Citrus Juicer - for juicing fresh lemons
- Instant read thermometer - it helps you determine when the chicken is done cooking.
- Grill
Storage
Grilled chicken souvlaki leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Top Tip
To prevent your chicken from drying out, try to get the skewers off the grill once they reach 165F. The hotter they get after this, the dryer they become.
FAQ
Yes. Boneless skinless chicken thighs work very well in this recipe and often turn out even juicier because of their higher fat content. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size of the pieces. It really comes down to personal preference.
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for about 2-4 hours. If you're short on time, even 30 minutes will still add great flavor. People often say to avoid marinating overnight, as the lemon juice can start to affect the texture of the chicken. I have done this, and I was still happy with the results.
Absolutely. You can cook the skewers in a grill pan on the stovetop, bake them in the oven, or cook them in an air fryer if grilling isn't an option.
Related
Looking for other great grilling recipes? You should check these out.
Pairing
If you are wondering what goes well with chicken souvlaki, these are my recommendations:
Chicken Souvlaki
Equipment
- Bamboo or metal skewers
- Large Mixing Bowl for marinating the chicken in
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Whisk
- Citrus Juicer
- Instant Read Thermometer to help tell when the chicken is done
- Grill
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1" cubes" 970g
Souvlaki Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl add in all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together until homogenous. (¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper)
- Add the cubed chicken to the marinade and mix together thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes - 4 hours preferably.
- while chicken is marinating, soak the bamboo skewers in water for the same amount of time. (you can add them to a 9x13 casserole dish with a small amount of water at the bottom)
- Preheat the grill to 400F about 10 minutes before you will be grilling.
- Skewer the chicken pieces onto the skewers, leaving enough room to be able to grab and maneuver the skewers.
- Add skewers to the grill and allow them to cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, until cooked through. You can use an instant read thermometer to determine when it gets to 165F.
- Remove from the grill and serve hot.
Notes
- When using bamboo skewers, it is helpful to soak them for at least 30 minutes in water. This helps to prevent the skewer from burning too fast while grilling and aids in the ease of chicken removal after cooking.
- To prevent your chicken from drying out, try to get the skewers off the grill once they reach 165F. The hotter they get after this, the dryer they become.
- For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for about 2-4 hours. If you're short on time, even 30 minutes will still add great flavor. People often say to avoid marinating overnight, as the lemon juice can start to affect the texture of the chicken. I have done this, and I was still happy with the results.
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