Chicken souvlaki
Charred, lemony chicken skewers with cool tzatziki and warm pittas — perfect for a quick midweek feast or summer barbecue.
Souvlaki is the fast-food of Greece done properly: bright lemon, oregano and a lick of smoke. These chicken skewers are juicy, quick to make and brilliant for feeding a crowd — or pretending you’ve made an effort on a weekday.
I’ve included an easy tzatziki and warming pittas so everything arrives at the table together. Use a griddle pan if you’re indoors or a barbecue for that proper char.
Serve stuffed into pittas with raw onion and tomatoes, and don’t be shy with the tzatziki — it’s half the fun.
Ingredients
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 65 ml olive oil — total (marinade and tzatziki)
- 1 lemon — juice and zest used
- 4 cloves garlic
- 10 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 8 wooden skewers — soak before using
- 200 g Greek yoghurt
- 100 g cucumber — grated and drained
- 10 g fresh dill — finely chopped
- 4 pitta breads
- 1 red onion — thinly sliced
- 200 g cherry tomatoes — halved
Equipment
- griddle pan or barbecue
- small box grater
- kitchen tongs
Instructions
Place wooden skewers in a shallow bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes to stop them burning on the grill.
Make the marinade: finely zest the lemon then squeeze out the juice. In a large bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, 3 crushed cloves of garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper. Whisk briefly.
Cut the chicken thighs into rough 3cm pieces, add to the bowl with the marinade and toss so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
While the chicken marinates, make the tzatziki. Grate the cucumber, then squeeze out the excess water using kitchen paper or a sieve. Mix the grated cucumber with Greek yoghurt, 1 minced clove of garlic, 15ml olive oil, a little lemon juice, and the chopped fresh dill. Season to taste with sea salt.
Slice the red onion and halve the cherry tomatoes. Put to one side to use as a fresh garnish for the pittas.
Preheat a griddle pan on the hob until smoking hot, or preheat your barbecue to a high direct heat. This should take about 5 minutes.
Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, leaving a little space between each piece so heat can circulate.
Cook the skewers on the hot griddle or barbecue for 10–12 minutes, turning every 3–4 minutes, until you have a good char and the chicken is cooked through.
In the final minute of cooking, warm the pitta breads on the griddle for about 1–2 minutes, brushing each with a little olive oil so they colour but don't burn.
Remove the skewers and rest the chicken for 5 minutes off the heat. This keeps the meat juicy. Serve by sliding the chicken from the skewers into warm pittas with tzatziki, sliced onion and cherry tomatoes.
Tips
- Soak wooden skewers for at least 20–30 minutes to prevent them burning; metal skewers don’t need soaking but heat faster on the grill.
- Cut chicken into even-sized pieces (about 3cm) so they cook uniformly; overcrowding the skewer causes steaming not charring.
- Drain the grated cucumber thoroughly for tzatziki — excess water makes it sloppy. Press in kitchen paper or a sieve for 5 minutes.
- If you’re short on time, marinate for 30 minutes minimum — longer (up to 4 hours) gives better flavour but avoid very long marination with lots of lemon.
- Rest cooked chicken for 4–5 minutes before serving to keep it juicy. Warmed pittas should be handled quickly — they crisp up fast.
Substitutions
boneless skinless chicken thighs → chicken breast, same weight (600g)
Noticeably differentGreek yoghurt → thick natural yoghurt, same weight (200g)
Stays closedried oregano → fresh oregano, use 1 tbsp chopped
Noticeably differentpitta breads → flatbreads or wraps, 4
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 580
- Calories
- 37 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use metal skewers instead of wooden ones?
Yes — metal skewers are fine and don’t need soaking. They also transfer heat so the chicken at the centre may cook slightly faster; watch the timings.
How can I tell when the chicken is cooked?
Cut one piece at the thickest point: there should be no pink and the juices should run clear. For certainty use an instant-read thermometer — 75°C internal temperature is safe.
Can I make the tzatziki ahead?
Yes — tzatziki keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure the cucumber is well drained to avoid it becoming watery as it sits.
Can I prepare this without a barbecue or griddle pan?
You can cook the skewers under a hot grill (close to the element) or in a hot frying pan, but you may miss some char and smoky flavour.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
Rate this recipe
More like this
Smoked salmon, lemon zest and petit pois risotto
Wild garlic pesto pasta with peas, lemon and toasted walnuts
