Chicken Souvlaki is actually one of my favorite things to make and I can’t believe I haven’t posted the recipe for it yet. I honestly make it almost once a week. I pair this chicken with a whole bunch of strong flavors, but the chicken is really the star of the show. The marinade is full of flavor and it all translates into the final product. It’s actually, dare i say it, better than the chicken souvlaki I had in Greece, especially with all of the accompaniments I have listed below, which allow you to have a different experience with every bite, but never a bad one.
Disclaimer: It can be easy to overcook the chicken. Cooking under a broiler is never an exact science. Give the recipe a few tries, and you’ll find what works best for you in your oven.
Butter Count: The Greeks use olive oil
INGREDIENTS:
2 large chicken breasts, cubed
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add all of the ingredients to a ziplock bag and seal it. Squish them around with your hands so they are all mixed together and the oregano seems evenly dispersed. Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it rest at least 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the bag, trying to keep as much of the garlic on the chicken as possible. Neatly skewer the chicken cubes, folding the chicken over to skewer twice if necessary, so that the chicken is secure and doesn’t have any parts flapping around.
NOTE: Don’t squeeze so much chicken onto each skewer that there are no gaps between the chunks of meat. This will prevent them from cooking evenly.
Preheat the broiler and place the rack at its second-to-highest possible position. Place the skewers on a slotted drip pan (with a pan underneath it to catch fat) and broil the chicken about 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once.
NOTE: Right when the chicken begins to char on the side exposed to the broiler is the perfect time to flip. Be sure to check that the chicken is browning evenly across the oven - it may be necessary to rotate the pan 180 degrees if the oven has hot spots. When the second side begins to brown, transfer the skewers to a serving dish. Be sure to check that the chicken isn’t pink inside anymore.
To serve, I like to prepare a lot of dips and salads and starches and just place them around the serving dish so people can make their own meal.
Pita Bread
Lemon wedges
White rice cooked with butter and slivered almonds
Cherry tomatoes with dill and parsley
Raw red onions with dill
Sun dried tomato tapenade with Greek yogurt
Pepperoncini (pickled banana peppers) with capers and parsley
Cucumbers with feta and parsley
Black and green olives with dill, crushed red pepper flakes, and extra virgin olive oil