This healthy Chicken Souvlaki recipe is classic Greek street food. The marinated chicken is packed with flavor and will bring the taste of Greece right into your kitchen.
Looking for more Greek recipes? Try my homemade greek seasoning or tzatziki sauce.
AN EASY CHICKEN SOUVLAKI RECIPE
Chicken Souvlaki is a Greek classic that takes marinated, grilled meat to the next level. You can also customize it and add in vegetables if you’d like. It is one of the easiest meals you can make, and if it isn’t easy enough, you can even prep it ahead of time. This Chicken Souvlaki recipe is low carb, gluten free, keto and paleo compliant, making this Greek favorite a meal just about anyone will love.
When I moved to Florida from Texas I was in culture shock. I left behind all my beloved Mexican, Tex-Mex and Texas BBQ restaurants. I was devastated. As I was learning just how different FL is from TX, I discovered some new favorites that happened to be just as amazing. I learned that my community has large Cuban and Greek influences. The Cuban part, I totally get, but Greek surprised me. I really wasn’t expecting to find amazing Greek cuisine in FL, but I’m sure glad I did!
WHAT IS GREEK SOUVLAKI?
Chicken Souvlaki is a Greek street food type dish made with chicken marinated in traditional Mediterranean flavors. The word “souvlaki” simply means “meat on skewers.” The chicken is threaded onto skewers and grilled. Sometimes you’ll see vegetables added onto the skewers and grilled along with the chicken.
Chicken Souvlaki is considered a street food, or fast food and it is usually one part of a meal served along with sides. You can eat souvlaki right off of the skewer, serve it along side other sides, serve it on top of a Greek Salad or just it to make Chicken Gyros.
Wondering what is the difference between a gyro and souvlaki? Like souvlaki, gyros are popular Greek street food. Both are made with meat, but the meat is prepared differently. Souvlaki is made with small pieces of grilled meat, while gyros are made with slices of meat that are shaved off a vertical rotisserie. You can learn more about the difference between these two popular street foods here.
SOUVLAKI RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Simple ingredients come together to make this authentic Chicken Souvlaki. You likely have most of these ingredients already. The acidity from the lemon helps tenderize the chicken, while it marinates, along with the Greek seasoning that gives this dish the flavor it is known for.
Here’s what you’ll need to make chicken souvlaki at home:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thigh meat), cut into bite size pieces
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Garlic cloves
- Greek seasoning
- Fresh lemon juice
- Salt & Pepper
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SOUVLAKI
Making Chicken Souvlaki is very simple. The hardest part is waiting for the chicken to marinate! This is an important step, so don’t think you can skip it. When you marinate the chicken, you are getting all the yummy flavors that make this meal unique!
Here’s how to make homemade chicken souvlaki:
- Make the souvlaki marinade: Combine all the ingredients, except for the chicken, in a ziplock bag and shake the bag to mix everything well.
- Marinade the chicken: Add the chicken and shake to ensure the marinade is covering the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate in this mixture in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
- Thread the skewers & grill: Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread the thicken onto the skewers and grill until it is thoroughly cooked. The chicken can be grilled outdoors or on a stove top with a grill pan.
That’s it! You can serve chicken souvlaki with tzatziki sauce for dipping, as a topping for Greek salad, in a pita for gyros, or as is with traditional Greek sides or roasted vegetables.
CAN SOUVLAKI BE MADE AHEAD?
Yes! You can leave the chicken in the marinade for up to 24 hours in the fridge. You can also prepare and cook it fully and reheat it for easy dinners later. I prefer reheating it in a pan on the stove, but it can always be microwaved too. It is best served fresh off the grill, but it’s still delicious reheated.
CAN I FREEZE THIS?
You can prep the chicken ahead of time and place it in a freezer friendly ziplock bag with the marinade and freeze it for easy meal prep later. When you are ready to make the Chicken Souvlaki, pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. By doing this, you are also marinating the chicken as it thaws. All you have to do the next day is cook it!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SOUVLAKI
Chicken Souvlaki can be served in a number of ways. My personal favorite is to use it in a Gyro with some delicious Tzatziki sauce! I like to warm up some pita bread, top it with the Chicken Souvlaki and add a generous dollop or two of fresh Tzatziki.
If you are looking for something to go with your Chicken Souvlaki and make it more of a meal, consider serving it with a traditional Greek salad. No matter how you serve this Chicken Souvlaki, everyone will love it!
HOW TO STORE & REHEAT LEFTOVERS
If you happen to have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to five days. I prefer to remove the chicken from the skewers because it’s easier to store that way. You’ll also want to keep the chicken separate from any toppings or tzatziki sauce.
When you are ready to enjoy your Chicken Souvlaki again, warm the chicken on the stove top or in the microwave and then add on your favorite toppings!
I have been making this souvlaki recipe for almost 15 years. It’s been tested time and time again and is simply perfect as it is. You really can’t beat the fresh Greek flavors all melding together with the chicken to create one of my favorite healthy chicken recipes!
Give this recipe a try and leave a rating or comment below to let me know what you think!
Chicken Souvlaki
This simple and healthy Chicken Souvlaki is classic Greek street food. The marinated chicken is packed with flavor and will bring the taste of Greece right to your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, in bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Greek Seasoning
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a ziplock bag and shake well to mix.
- Add chicken and shake to ensure the marinade is covering chicken. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
- Remove chicken from marinade, and toss leftover marinade. Thread chicken onto skewers and grill until cooked thoroughly on an outdoor grill or on the stove top with grill pan. Serve warm!
- Serve with Tzatziki sauce for dipping, as a topping for Greek salad, in pita for chicken gyros or wiht Greek sides or roasted vegetables.
Notes
To Freeze: Prep the chicken in marinade and place it in a freezer friendly ziplock bag (with the marinade) and freeze it for easy meal prep later. When you are ready to make the Chicken Souvlaki, pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. By doing this, you are also marinating the chicken as it thaws. Cook according to above directions once thawed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 261Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 3768mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 36g
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