This Greek Chicken Souvlaki Pita recipe is easy, authentic and so delicious. A simple chicken souvlaki marinade makes these chicken skewers flavorful and tender. I like to eat my souvlaki with yogurt sauce and homemade pita bread.
I love Greek food, and I’m sure you do too! Greek cuisine is not only mouthwatering, but it also has a lot in common with my beloved Assyrian cuisine. From spanakopita triangles to gyros and dolmades, there’s sure to be something for everyone!
One of the most popular fast foods in Greece is souvlaki (suflaki/suvlaki). If you’ve never heard of souvlaki, don’t worry. With this easy recipe and step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to make chicken souvlaki that would make any uncle proud.
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🍗 What is Greek Souvlaki?
“Souvlaki” means “skewered meat” in Greek. Similar to the Persian jujeh kabab and lamb shish kebab, this Greek version is marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and herbs.
Souvlaki is usually served in pita bread with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce, but it can also be served with vermicelli or dill rice.
This souvlaki recipe is made with chicken, but you can also make it with lamb, beef, or pork. The juicy, tender cubes of meat add an irresistible lemon flavor.
🧐 Why this recipe works
Souvlaki is surprisingly delicious and easy to make. If you prep the meat ahead of time, the skewers can be cooked in about 7 minutes. Leftover chicken can be sliced and added to a Greek cucumber salad for a quick, nutritious lunch. The souvlaki marinade used in this recipe can also be used for beef, pork, or lamb souvlaki.
🛒 What you need for this recipe
🔖 Materials and Substitutes
Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs are even juicier. Oil: I prefer extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use avocado oil. Lemon: I use freshly squeezed lemon juice. In a pinch, you can use bottled lemon juice. Seasonings: Sea or kosher salt and black pepper. You can also add a pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper. Herbs: Fresh or dried oregano, or equal parts marjoram and oregano. Garlic: A few fresh garlic cloves. If desired, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
🥙 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into cubes about 1 ½ to 2 inches in size. Next, place the chicken into a gallon-sized plastic Ziploc bag.
Pro tip: Chicken is easier to slice when it’s partially frozen rather than completely thawed.
Make the Chicken Souvlaki Marinade
Step 2: To make the souvlaki marinade, combine the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper and oregano in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Step 3: Pour the marinade over the chicken and remove any air from the bag. Rub the chicken well with the marinade and leave to marinate for a few hours.
Step 4: Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto wooden or metal skewers. I used 4 skewers with 9 bite-sized pieces of chicken on each skewer.
Pro tip: If you use wooden skewers, pre-soak them for at least 30 minutes – this will help prevent them from burning.
Grilling Instructions
Step 5: Preheat the grill and oil the grill grates to prevent the chicken skewers from sticking. Coat the chicken skewers in oil and grill over medium-high heat for 3 1/2 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
🍽 Presentation suggestions
You might be wondering what to serve with this Greek Chicken Souvlaki recipe, so below we’ve got a variety of options for you, including the type of bread to use, sauces, and toppings.
Bread Options
Greek souvlaki is usually served with pita or za’atar bread, but it can also be served wrapped in lavash bread.
Traditional chicken souvlaki pita toppings
What you add to your Chicken Souvlaki Pita is up to you, but of course, here are a few suggestions: Sliced tomatoes and red onions are a must, but adding some French fries, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and Kalamata olives will really take your Chicken Souvlaki Pita up a notch.
Source Options
The traditional sauce served with souvlaki is tzatziki, made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill, but it also pairs well with yogurt sauce for chicken, garlic tahini sauce and Lebanese garlic sauce (toum).
Side dish ideas
Wondering what to serve with it? It’s easy! Greek Cucumber Salad, Tabouli, or this tangy Quinoa Salad go great with Greek Chicken Skewers. Another great option is this authentic Lebanese Hummus.
What to serve for dessert
What to have after a great Greek meal? A rich, decadent dessert, of course! You can’t go wrong with galaktoboureko, kadaif or baklava – three of which can be prepared in advance.
🤷🏻♀️ Frequently asked questions about recipes
Gyros are made from a mixture of ground meat, herbs and spices formed into a cone and grilled on a rotating skewer, while souvlaki is marinated meat cut into cubes and grilled on a skewer. It can be made with chicken, beef, pork or lamb.
Souvlaki is juicy cubed meat grilled to perfection and marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and garlic for an irresistible lemony flavour.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
Use warm pita bread for a softer texture. Pita bread can be heated on the stove or in a hot cast iron skillet. For extra lemon flavor, add lemon zest to the marinade. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Souvlaki can also be cooked in a grill pan or under the broiler. To cook souvlaki in an air fryer, air fry the skewers at 400 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
If you like this Greek Chicken Souvlaki recipe, be sure to check out some of our other related recipes:
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📖 Recipes
Greek Chicken Souvlaki
This Greek Chicken Souvlaki recipe is easy to make and super flavorful. Grill the skewered chicken for 7 minutes and serve in pita pockets.
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rate
Number of people: 4 Grilled Skewers
calorie: 392kilocalories
Instructions
Make the Chicken Souvlaki Marinade
To make the souvlaki marinade, combine the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, and oregano in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Pour the marinade over the chicken, remove any air from the bag, work the chicken well into the marinade and leave to marinate for a few hours.
Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto wooden or metal skewers. I used four skewers, with nine bite-sized pieces of chicken on each.
Note
Partly frozen chicken is easier to slice than fully thawed. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This helps prevent the skewers from burning. Use warm pita bread, which is more pliable. You can heat the pita bread on the stovetop or in a hot cast-iron skillet. For an extra lemony flavor, add lemon zest to the marinade. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Souvlaki can also be cooked in a grill pan or under the broiler. To cook souvlaki in an air fryer, air fry the skewers at 400 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes, turning them halfway through.
nutrition
Presentation: 1Skewers | calorie: 392kilocalories | carbohydrates: 4G | protein: 49G | fat: 20G | Saturated fats: 3G | cholesterol: 145Milligrams | sodium: 1137Milligrams | fiber: 1G | sugar: 1G
