Souvlaki is one of the most delicious street foods in Greece! Skewers laced with small chunks of meat that have been marinated, and grilled to succulent Heavenliness. Just four ingredients (lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and herbs); the simple marinade creates a craveable flavor.
In most parts of Greece, souvlaki is made with pork. I wanted to lighten the dish up a bit (plus, I love pigs, wish they weren’t so darned delicious and try to avoid eating them when possible) and use chicken thighs instead. If you prefer white meat, I beg you, try the thighs– they are just fatty enough to withstand grilling without drying out, have way more flavor than breast meat, and are cheaper.
Classic souvlaki wouldn’t have vegetables intermixed with meat, but again, with an eye to health and thriftiness, I alternated the marinated chicken with red onions and zucchini.
3 fat garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
24 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2″ cubes
1 medium/large zucchini, sliced into 1″ half moons
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
6 large skewers, metal is best, or wooden that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes
1) Whisk marinade ingredients, except for olive oil, in a bowl until well combined, then drizzle in oil as your whisk to create a loose emulsion. Combine chicken and marinade either in a the bowl, a Tupperware or zip-top bag, making sure that all the chicken is coated in marinade. Refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
2) Fire up the grill to medium-high or 450º. Lace the vegetables and meat onto the skewers, alternating vegetables and chicken. Season with salt. Grill, turning every 5 minutes until skewers are slightly charred in places and juice from the chicken runs clear, about 20 minutes total. Serve with Tzatziki sauce (recipe below) warm pita bread and a true greek salad.
Tzatziki Sauce
No need to drain the yogurt in this recipe, simply squeeze out all the liquid from the shredded cucumbers before combining.
Small container plain Greek yogurt (about 5.3 oz)
1/2 cup shredded English cucumber (no need to peel), squeezed of liquid
1/2-1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 teaspoon dried dill or 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh dill
hefty pinch of kosher or sea salt
Mix everything together and serve with souvlaki. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and held in the refrigerator.