Greek chicken souvlaki is one of my favorite meals and couldn’t be simpler to throw together: marinate the chicken and make tzatziki in the morning; skewer the chicken while the grill is preheating; make a simple, refreshing salad somewhere in between. Served with warm pita or naan , this meal couldn’t be more summery!
When I think of summer dinners growing up at home, I think of this meal.
I think of the smell of charred garlic and basil; I think of my stepfather sweating at the grill, a slave to his stopwatch, the wrath of my mother should the chicken be the slightest bit overcooked driving his utmost concentration; I think of sitting at the table in our screened-in porch with my brother and sister and eventually Ben, too.
I think of eating for hours, a time of considerably faster metabolisms. I think of the candles melting into the tabletop, the humidity just beginning to subside, and the buzz of the crickets as we clear the table at the end of the night.
This is one of my favorite meals — grilled chicken, tzatziki , warm pita , and some sort of salad. This couldn’t be simpler to throw together: marinate the chicken and make the tzatziki in the morning; skewer the chicken while the grill is preheating; make a simpl e, refreshi ng salad somewhere in between.
What is souvlaki?
- Souvlaki comes from the Greek word souvla , which means “spit.”
- Souvlaki is marinated, skewered, cooked cubes of meat (often lamb, beef, pork, or chicken).
- Traditionally, souvlaki is dressed with tzatziki (a cucumber-yogurt sauce) , and served with chopped tomatoes and onion, and warmed pita .
Souvlaki Marinade
There’s no real need to measure with marinades in general, and souvlaki marinade is no exception. Just be sure the chicken is coated in olive oil; be generous with the basil and garlic; use a teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat; grind pepper to taste; a few good pinches of oregano should suffice.
- olive oil
- garlic
- basil
- oregano
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
What to Serve with Souvlaki
Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce)
How to Make Chicken Souvlaki
Gather lots of garlic and basil, and transfer them to a food processor. You can also mince by hand if you prefer.
Purée into a fine paste. Scrape down the sides, add a splash of olive oil, and purée again.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Add cubes of chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer.) Season with salt, pepper, and oregano (optional); then toss to coat.
Transfer to the fridge for a few hours or up to 48 hours. Then skewer the meat.
This 4-qt glass bowl comes with a lid , which is so nice for storing. This is the bowl I use most often for mixing bread, too. I have two of them because I use them so often.
Prepare a grill or preheat your broiler to high.
Broil for 5 minutes on one side. Flip. Broil 4-5 minutes on the other side. If you’re grilling, it may take much less time, 3 minutes a side or so depending on how hot it is.
Recently, I’ve been smearing the tzatziki on a platter and tumbling the skewered chicken over top.
I love serving chicken souvlaki with a simple tomato or cucumber and feta salad. The dressing is simply equal parts olive oil and white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, basil or mint, and feta to taste:
An old photo of this favorite meal:
Description
This Greek chicken souvlaki recipe can be prepared in various ways. In the summer, we always fire up the grill and grill the skewers of meat; in the winter or when the weather doesn’t cooperate, we simply broil the meat. Either way is delicious.
- 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt and pepper
- oregano
- lots of basil (at least once cup packed), roughly chopped
- 3 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- extra-virgin olive oil
for serving:
lemon wedges
naan or pita bread
tzatziki
tomato or cucumber and feta salad (recipe below)
2 cups diced tomatoes or cucumbers (if the skin tastes a little tough, peel the cucumber)
feta cheese, crumbled or sliced
basil or mint
extra-virgin olive oil
white balsamic vinegar
- Marinate the chicken. In the bowl of the food processor, purée the garlic and basil into a fine paste. Stop the processor, scrape it down, add a splash of olive oil, and purée again. Transfer the paste to a large bowl. (Alternatively, you can simply roughly chop the garlic and basil.)
- Cut chicken into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces. Transfer it to the bowl with the garlic-basil paste. Season chicken all over with kosher salt and pepper to taste — a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon (or slightly less) of kosher salt per pound of meat. Crumble oregano (about a teaspoon or two) over top. Add a splash of olive oil. Toss to coat. Cover bowl and transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least two hours if possible. If you don’t have space for a big bowl in your fridge, you can use a ziplock bag.
- Cook the chicken . When ready to cook: Preheat the grill to its highest setting (525ºF or 550ºF) or preheat the broiler to high for at least 15 minutes. Skewer the chicken. Season lightly with salt and pepper all over. If grilling , grill skewers for 3 minutes a side or until charred to your liking. If broiling, set the chicken on a lightly oiled broiler pan or a cooling rack set in a sheet pan. Broil 5 minutes. Flip. Broil 4 to 5 minutes more or until charred to your liking. Transfer to a platter. (Optional: smear tzatziki on a platter; then tumble the grilled or broiled pieces of meat over top.) Season lightly with sea salt and squeeze some lemon over top. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving with more tzatziki on the side, lemon wedges, salad, and warm naan or pita.
- To make the salad: Place the tomatoes or cucumbers in a bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper to taste. Add a tablespoon of each olive oil and vinegar — use more or less depending on how many tomatoes or cucumbers you are using. Add basil or mint leaves. Toss to coat. Transfer to a platter. Crumble feta over top. Crack more pepper over top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill or Broiler
- Cuisine: Greek
Greek chicken souvlaki is one of my favorite meals and couldn’t be simpler to throw together: marinate the chicken and make tzatziki in the morning; skewer the chicken while the grill is preheating; make a simple, refreshing salad somewhere in between. Served with warm pita or naan , this meal couldn’t be more summery!
When I think of summer dinners growing up at home, I think of this meal.
I think of the smell of charred garlic and basil; I think of my stepfather sweating at the grill, a slave to his stopwatch, the wrath of my mother should the chicken be the slightest bit overcooked driving his utmost concentration; I think of sitting at the table in our screened-in porch with my brother and sister and eventually Ben, too.
I think of eating for hours, a time of considerably faster metabolisms. I think of the candles melting into the tabletop, the humidity just beginning to subside, and the buzz of the crickets as we clear the table at the end of the night.
This is one of my favorite meals — grilled chicken, tzatziki , warm pita , and some sort of salad. This couldn’t be simpler to throw together: marinate the chicken and make the tzatziki in the morning; skewer the chicken while the grill is preheating; make a simpl e, refreshi ng salad somewhere in between.
What is souvlaki?
- Souvlaki comes from the Greek word souvla , which means “spit.”
- Souvlaki is marinated, skewered, cooked cubes of meat (often lamb, beef, pork, or chicken).
- Traditionally, souvlaki is dressed with tzatziki (a cucumber-yogurt sauce) , and served with chopped tomatoes and onion, and warmed pita .
Souvlaki Marinade
There’s no real need to measure with marinades in general, and souvlaki marinade is no exception. Just be sure the chicken is coated in olive oil; be generous with the basil and garlic; use a teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat; grind pepper to taste; a few good pinches of oregano should suffice.
- olive oil
- garlic
- basil
- oregano
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
What to Serve with Souvlaki
Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce)
How to Make Chicken Souvlaki
Gather lots of garlic and basil, and transfer them to a food processor. You can also mince by hand if you prefer.
Purée into a fine paste. Scrape down the sides, add a splash of olive oil, and purée again.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Add cubes of chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer.) Season with salt, pepper, and oregano (optional); then toss to coat.
Transfer to the fridge for a few hours or up to 48 hours. Then skewer the meat.
This 4-qt glass bowl comes with a lid , which is so nice for storing. This is the bowl I use most often for mixing bread, too. I have two of them because I use them so often.
Prepare a grill or preheat your broiler to high.
Broil for 5 minutes on one side. Flip. Broil 4-5 minutes on the other side. If you’re grilling, it may take much less time, 3 minutes a side or so depending on how hot it is.
Recently, I’ve been smearing the tzatziki on a platter and tumbling the skewered chicken over top.
I love serving chicken souvlaki with a simple tomato or cucumber and feta salad. The dressing is simply equal parts olive oil and white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, basil or mint, and feta to taste:
An old photo of this favorite meal:
Description
This Greek chicken souvlaki recipe can be prepared in various ways. In the summer, we always fire up the grill and grill the skewers of meat; in the winter or when the weather doesn’t cooperate, we simply broil the meat. Either way is delicious.
- 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt and pepper
- oregano
- lots of basil (at least once cup packed), roughly chopped
- 3 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- extra-virgin olive oil
for serving:
lemon wedges
naan or pita bread
tzatziki
tomato or cucumber and feta salad (recipe below)
2 cups diced tomatoes or cucumbers (if the skin tastes a little tough, peel the cucumber)
feta cheese, crumbled or sliced
basil or mint
extra-virgin olive oil
white balsamic vinegar
- Marinate the chicken. In the bowl of the food processor, purée the garlic and basil into a fine paste. Stop the processor, scrape it down, add a splash of olive oil, and purée again. Transfer the paste to a large bowl. (Alternatively, you can simply roughly chop the garlic and basil.)
- Cut chicken into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces. Transfer it to the bowl with the garlic-basil paste. Season chicken all over with kosher salt and pepper to taste — a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon (or slightly less) of kosher salt per pound of meat. Crumble oregano (about a teaspoon or two) over top. Add a splash of olive oil. Toss to coat. Cover bowl and transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least two hours if possible. If you don’t have space for a big bowl in your fridge, you can use a ziplock bag.
- Cook the chicken . When ready to cook: Preheat the grill to its highest setting (525ºF or 550ºF) or preheat the broiler to high for at least 15 minutes. Skewer the chicken. Season lightly with salt and pepper all over. If grilling , grill skewers for 3 minutes a side or until charred to your liking. If broiling, set the chicken on a lightly oiled broiler pan or a cooling rack set in a sheet pan. Broil 5 minutes. Flip. Broil 4 to 5 minutes more or until charred to your liking. Transfer to a platter. (Optional: smear tzatziki on a platter; then tumble the grilled or broiled pieces of meat over top.) Season lightly with sea salt and squeeze some lemon over top. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving with more tzatziki on the side, lemon wedges, salad, and warm naan or pita.
- To make the salad: Place the tomatoes or cucumbers in a bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper to taste. Add a tablespoon of each olive oil and vinegar — use more or less depending on how many tomatoes or cucumbers you are using. Add basil or mint leaves. Toss to coat. Transfer to a platter. Crumble feta over top. Crack more pepper over top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill or Broiler
- Cuisine: Greek
Description
This Greek chicken souvlaki recipe can be prepared in various ways. In the summer, we always fire up the grill and grill the skewers of meat; in the winter or when the weather doesn’t cooperate, we simply broil the meat. Either way is delicious.
- 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt and pepper
- oregano
- lots of basil (at least once cup packed), roughly chopped
- 3 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- extra-virgin olive oil
for serving:
lemon wedges
naan or pita bread
tzatziki
tomato or cucumber and feta salad (recipe below)
2 cups diced tomatoes or cucumbers (if the skin tastes a little tough, peel the cucumber)
feta cheese, crumbled or sliced
basil or mint
extra-virgin olive oil
white balsamic vinegar
- Marinate the chicken. In the bowl of the food processor, purée the garlic and basil into a fine paste. Stop the processor, scrape it down, add a splash of olive oil, and purée again. Transfer the paste to a large bowl. (Alternatively, you can simply roughly chop the garlic and basil.)
- Cut chicken into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces. Transfer it to the bowl with the garlic-basil paste. Season chicken all over with kosher salt and pepper to taste — a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon (or slightly less) of kosher salt per pound of meat. Crumble oregano (about a teaspoon or two) over top. Add a splash of olive oil. Toss to coat. Cover bowl and transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least two hours if possible. If you don’t have space for a big bowl in your fridge, you can use a ziplock bag.
- Cook the chicken . When ready to cook: Preheat the grill to its highest setting (525ºF or 550ºF) or preheat the broiler to high for at least 15 minutes. Skewer the chicken. Season lightly with salt and pepper all over. If grilling , grill skewers for 3 minutes a side or until charred to your liking. If broiling, set the chicken on a lightly oiled broiler pan or a cooling rack set in a sheet pan. Broil 5 minutes. Flip. Broil 4 to 5 minutes more or until charred to your liking. Transfer to a platter. (Optional: smear tzatziki on a platter; then tumble the grilled or broiled pieces of meat over top.) Season lightly with sea salt and squeeze some lemon over top. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving with more tzatziki on the side, lemon wedges, salad, and warm naan or pita.
- To make the salad: Place the tomatoes or cucumbers in a bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper to taste. Add a tablespoon of each olive oil and vinegar — use more or less depending on how many tomatoes or cucumbers you are using. Add basil or mint leaves. Toss to coat. Transfer to a platter. Crumble feta over top. Crack more pepper over top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill or Broiler
- Cuisine: Greek
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2013/05/26/chicken-souvlaki/
When I saw this post on Apartment Therapy a few weeks ago, I knew exactly how I would repurpose the empty anchovy tin that’s been cluttering my kitchen counter for months. A quick run to Home Depot followed by a couple of blown fuses and my anchovy tin lamp (thanks to some guidance from Ben) was proudly standing atop my living room side table illuminating a stack of my favorite books below.
Perhaps not quite as beautiful as Apartment Therapy’s, my anchovy tin lamp makes me very happy. Next project: anchovy tin clock using the remaining face from the tin, which, based on this this AT tutorial, looks pretty straightforward.
With the lamp finished, I thought it only appropriate to make this anchovy vinaigrette, a recipe I had read about on Food52 months ago now. At Al Di La restaurant in Brooklyn, chef Anna Klinger uses the vinaigrette along with a splash of sherry vinegar to dress grilled Swiss chard stems, brilliantly salvaging an often overlooked (and discarded) vegetable trimming. While rescuing vegetable scraps from the trashbin is a genius use for this dressing, I suspect any number of grilled vegetables — endive, escarole, romaine, and spring onions come to mind — and meats — skirt or hanger steak in particular — would take nicely to a drizzling of this pungent vinaigrette.
Once removed from the leaf, chard stems keep amazingly well (at least a week) in a ziplock bag in the fridge.
Anchovy Tin Lamp
To make the lamp, follow this tutorial on Apartment Therapy.
Anna Klinger’s Grilled Swiss Chard Stems with Anchovy Vinaigrette
To make the vinaigrette and the grilled chard stems, follow this recipe on Food52.
