Greek style souvlaki with homemade tzatziki

Updated 25 May 2023

Chicken or pork Souvlaki is quick and easy to prep, and so delicious! Marinated cubed chicken breasts or pork tenderloin are threaded onto skewers and grilled until juicy and tender. Serve souvlaki over rice or wrap it in a warm pita bread (homemade pita is the best) with lettuce, onions and tomatoes with loads of tzatziki for a perfect meal or enjoy it over a bed of greens for an epic souvlaki salad or serve as an appetizer or meze or mezethaki. The Mediterranean flavors are always on point and you will be making these tasty skewers all grilling season! They are perfect on the grill but can also be made stove top on a grill pan or skillet or even in the oven - all options below in post so you really have no excuse not to make them!

What is souvlaki?

In short souvlaki, plural souvlakia, is a popular Greek fast food (street food) made of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. It is usually eaten straight off the skewer while still hot. These Greekstyle kabobs are marinated in a herby marinade with oregano garlic, lemon, olive oil and seasonings. So simple, but amazingly flavorful. Nothing beats the smell of a hot grill going with either meat or veggies on it. You can smell it wafting in the air a mile away. Souvlaki comes from the word Souvla which means “spit” or “skewer” in Greek — the rod on which meat is roasted. Appropriately since souvlaki or also commonly known as kalamaki, is meat or veggies grilled on skewers. The most common meat used in souvlakia or kalamakia is pork, but chicken, beef and lamb also make the cut. Regardless of the meat, although for souvlaki I’m totally partial to pork, it’s the marinade that really makes these little guys irresistible! For the most flavourful souvlaki I like to marinate the chicken for a least 30-60 minutes. It allows ample time for the meat to soak in all the flavour and when it comes to the pork it tenderises it a bit too. Using a tougher cut of meat will require longer marinating time. The lemon and vinegar almost act like a brining liquid which helps make the pork a little more tender and juicy. Of course you’re not using even close to the amount of salt you would in a brining liquid but it still does the job.

Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken: skinless bone less chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used and sliced into bite-sized pieces - ½-1 inch cubes. They can be made with just about any protein though - the next most popular is pork tenderloin, beef tenderloin or lamb (cooking times will vary depending on meat)
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: extra virgin olive oil for the chicken souvlaki marinade
• Lemon Juice & Zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest. You can also substitute the lemon juice with red wine vinegar or use both like I do but that is optional
• Oregano: I used dried. Use mediterranean or greek oregano for best flavour for the souvlaki
• Salt & Pepper: Season to taste.
• Garlic: Use as much or little as you like! I use grated or minced fresh garlic but in a pinch garlic powder works beautifully as well

Optional Flavour Boosters and Add ins

• Red Wine Vinegar: I love the flavour it adds along with the lemon juice but feel free to use one or the other
• Shallot: I like to grate in a shallot or mince ir fine or use dried onion powder for the marinade -it adds loads of flavour but this is optional
• Paprika: it adds a touch of flavour and colour to your souvlaki
• Greek yogurt: yoghurt in a marinade tenderizes meat much more gently and effectively than regular marinades. While acidic vinegar- or citrus-based marinades can toughen proteins like chicken breast to a rubbery consistency, yogurt slowly tenderizes them, resulting in meat that can practically be pulled apart by hand. This is sort of non traditional but a great add in esp if you are doing a short marinade and want super tender chicken souvlaki
  
  

How to Make Greek Chicken Souvlaki

1. Marinate: Combine chicken and the rest of the marinade ingredients to a large sealable freezer bag or airtight container. Mix everything together well to coat each piece of chicken. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. (NOTE: If you are marinating your chicken for long periods of time like all day or overnight I recommend leaving out the lemon juice and vinegar but leaving the zest in the marinade. The acidity from the lemon juice essentially cooks the chicken and potentially can create a mealy or leathery texture chicken.)
2. Soak Skewers: if using bamboo or wooden ones in water while chicken marinates. Soaking the skewers before grilling keeps them from catching fire on the grill.
3. Assemble Skewers: Preheat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Skewer the pieces of chicken, not too tight to allow for the chicken to cook evenly
4. Grill or Cook: Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until completely cooked through. Remove from grill and tent with foil and allow to rest a few minutes before serving
   
   

Can I Make Chicken Souvlaki Without a Grill?

Yes you absolutely can - you can either use a grill pan or a skillet stove top instead or you can can even make them in the oven:

• Grill Pan or Skillet: heat and brush grill pan or skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat then pace skiers in hot pan and cook 3-5 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through
• Oven: Bake chicken skewers in a preheated oven at 450 degrees F on a baking sheet with rack for 12-15 minutes then turn on the boiler for 1-3 min until deeply chicken is golden and cooked though with areas that are slightly charred
• Air fryer directions: Bake at 400°F / 204°C for 15 mins flipping half way through cooking time. Internal temperature should be at least 165°F
  
  

What to Serve with Greek Souvlaki

Once they are grilled to perfection you give them a good dowsing of lemon juice or lemon parley oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and they are ready to plate or put into pita/flat bread with the usual suspects — some chopped tomatoes, onions as pictured. Some other popular toppings included chopped lettuce, feta and french fries. I also love them loaded with some grilled red peppers or eggplant too! Yum! Of course you cannot have souvlaki with out tzatziki — basically what Greeks use to fend off close talkers. Hehe! Yes beware and be warned you will have some pretty pungent garlic breathe going on after eating even just a little bit of it. But so worth it! I’m so partial to it and also take it so for granted in a way!! It’s a fabulous almost refreshing sauce which adds so much to grilled meats. I love it with Greek style rice too and just about anything really! It’s the raita of the Greek world.

Here are some great options for serving souvlaki with:

• Fresh Homemade Pita Bread
• Classic Greek Village Salad (Horiatiki)
• Watermelon Feta Salad
• Classic Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata)
• Greek-Style Potato Salad
• Greek Asparagus Salad
• Greek Style Green Bean Salad
• Homemade Tzatziki
  
  

You guys just have to try this super basic and easy recipe. Do roast them in the oven if you don’t have a grill and to get them a little charred just broil them on each side for a few minutes when they are just about cooked through. Or instead of threading the meat onto skewers, simply cook it in a grill pan until it’s nicely charred. They will be equally delish! I love mine with my homemade pita bread in my pantry staples section that is so soft and chewy and delicious. Like I said before souvlaki isn’t souvlaki without a creamy tzatziki sauce. I love to prep my easy and delicious tzatziki made with strained Greek Yogurt when I’m marinating the meat. I usually strain the yoghurt and marinate the meat overnight. Then they are both ready the next day to grill and to mix with the rest of the ingredients. Add a Greek Horiatiki salad loaded with feta cheese and Kalamata olives and you are good to go! It’s the perfect dish for outdoor grilling and entertaining and also great for meal prep! Enjoy!

Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing

• Make Ahead: the chicken can be marinated up to a day ahead - just follow the note about marinating overnight or fo long periods
• Storage: Cooked Chicken souvlaki will keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the oven, stovetop in a skillet or in the microwave
• Freezing: You can freeze chicken kebabs/skewers for up to 3 months before or after cooking them. If you cook them first, you will need to allow them to cool before bagging them up and placing them in the freezer. Provided they are well wrapped and protected, chicken kebabs will freeze well. If you are freezing them uncooked freeze them skewered and marinated and thaw fully in the fridge overnight before cooking so that they grill up evenly without any frozen areas in them.
  
  

If you liked this recipe you will love these:

• Greek Style Grilled Shrimp Orzo Pasta Salad
• Greek Roasted Lemon Potatoes (lemonates patates)
• Greek Fries With Pancetta
• Greek Style Grilled Chicken Wings
• Mexican Street Corn (Elote) Done Greek Style