Greek chicken souvlaki is one of the most satisfying things you can make at home — tender chunks of chicken marinated in lemon, garlic, and oregano, grilled until golden and served with warm pita, tomatoes, and creamy tzatziki. It comes together in about 25 minutes once the chicken has marinated.

 

I first had souvlaki at a small neighborhood restaurant in Athens, and it has stayed with me ever since. The chicken was charred at the edges, juicy inside, and the flavors were bright and clean in a way that only a good marinade can produce. This recipe is my attempt to recreate that meal, and it comes very close.

The Souvlaki Marinade

The marinade is the whole recipe. Everything else — the grill, the pita, the tzatziki — supports it, but the marinade is what makes chicken souvlaki taste like souvlaki and not just grilled chicken on a stick. It has four ingredients: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, and plenty of garlic. That is it, and it’s very similar to ladolemono, which is a lemon sauce that’s widely used in Greek cooking. The lemon tenderizes the meat while the olive oil keeps it juicy on the grill, and the oregano and garlic do the rest. Use good quality olive oil here, it is not the place to cut corners.

The minimum marinating time is one hour, but overnight is better. The longer the chicken sits in this marinade, the more flavorful and tender it becomes.

Chicken Breast or Thighs?

Both work, but they behave differently on the grill. Thighs are more forgiving — they stay juicy longer and are harder to overcook. Breast cooks faster and can dry out if you leave it on the heat too long, but for this recipe I actually prefer it. The chunks of breast hold their shape beautifully on the skewer, and the texture against the bold marinade is exactly right. Just keep a close eye on it and pull it off the heat as soon as it is cooked through.

How To Make Greek Chicken Souvlaki

Start by gathering all your ingredients.

Cut the chicken breast into one inch cubes. Even sizing matters here so everything cooks at the same rate. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, oregano, and minced garlic in a bowl, add the chicken, and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

When you are ready to cook, thread the chicken onto skewers without crowding them. If you are using wooden skewers on an outdoor grill, soak them in water for 30 minutes first. Grill over medium-high heat for about 6-8 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

Place the cooked chicken skewers on a large plate with pita, tomatoes, onions, olives and tzatziki sauce and serve immediately.

Souvlaki vs. Gyro

Both are Greek classics, but they are different dishes. Souvlaki is grilled cubes of meat on a skewer, what you would call a shish kabob in other cuisines, while gyro is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and sliced into strips. Souvlaki has more of a street food, char-grilled character; gyro is richer and more heavily spiced. If you love one, you will almost certainly love the other.

Serving Souvlaki

The classic way to serve souvlaki is wrapped in warm homemade pita bread with sliced tomatoes, red onion, olives, and a generous spoonful of tzatziki sauce. For a fuller spread, a simple traditional Greek salad on the side rounds it out nicely. Or, you can serve a skewer as an appetizer for a larger meal such as a traditional pastitsio.

Storage and Make Ahead

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The marinade also freezes beautifully, combine the raw chicken and marinade in a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and grill as usual. It is a great recipe to batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

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