Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe with Tzatziki

Greek food has been on my Sunday dinner theme list forever - well since last year's Greek cruise. It was actually supposed to happen back in October, but thanks to all the foot drama last year, it kept getting pushed aside. So when this dinner finally came together, I was more than ready for it.

I haven’t explored a ton of Greek dishes over the years. Some I’ve absolutely loved, while others…not so much. Sorry, grape leaves, we’re never going to be friends. But one thing I can always count on loving is Greek souvlaki. Tender chicken marinated in bright lemon, garlic, and oregano is pretty hard to beat.

I’ve made a couple of different versions of souvlaki over the years, and honestly, they all turn out delicious. This version was no exception. I let the chicken marinate for about 2 1/2 hours, which turned out to be the sweet spot. I also cut the chicken into larger 1 1/2-inch chunks because I didn’t want the lemon juice to break the meat down too much and make the texture strange. It worked perfectly.

One thing this recipe suggested that I don’t usually get in restaurants was serving the souvlaki with pita bread. I decided to go for it, and wow…game changer. Warm pita wrapped around juicy chicken with cool tzatziki is absolutely the way to go.

For serving, I kept things simple with pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, and tzatziki. Full confession: the tzatziki came straight from the grocery store deli section, and I have zero regrets about that. Sometimes shortcuts are worth it.

This ended up being one of those meals that feels fresh, light, and packed with flavor while still being incredibly satisfying. Definitely worth the wait.

Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe with Tzatziki

Recipe from The Mediterranean Dish

Serves 10

For Souvlaki Marinade

• 10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp each Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 bay leaves

For Chicken:

• 2 1/2 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breast, fat removed, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Pita Fixings

• Greek pita bread
• Tzatziki Sauce (make according to this recipe)
• Sliced tomato, cucumber, onions, and Kalamata olives

Prepare the marinade. In the bowl of a small food processor, add garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice (do NOT add the dried bay leaves yet). Pulse until well combined.

Place chicken in a large bowl and add bay leaves. Top with marinade. Toss to combine, making sure chicken is well-coated with marinade. cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Soak 10 to 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 to 45 minutes or so. When ready, thread marinated chicken pieces through the prepared skewers.

Prepare outdoor grill. Place chicken skewers on grill until well browned and internal temperature registers 160°F on instant read thermometer (it will continue cooking to 165°F as it rests). Be sure to turn skewers evenly to cook on all sides, about 5 minutes total. 

Transfer chicken to serving platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly grill pitas and keep warm.

Assemble grilled chicken souvlaki pitas. First, spread Tzatziki sauce on pita, add chicken pieces then add veggies and olives.