Souvlaki
Published October 17, 2023
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- About 3 hours
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (at least 2–percent fat)
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the grill
1 tablespoon grated or minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
One lemon, plus optional wedges for serving
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Toasted pita and tzatziki, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
10 grams carbs; 115 milligrams cholesterol; 330 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 522 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 2 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Set aside eight (10- to 12-inch) wood or metal skewers. (If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using. This will prevent the skewers from catching fire on the grill.)
- Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Zest the lemon over the bowl; halve the lemon and reserve for serving. Whisk until smooth.
- Step 3
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1- to 1 ½-inch cubes. (If you’re using thighs, the pieces may be thinner than 1 inch, so cut them a little bigger for folding later when skewering.) Add the chicken to the marinade and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day.
- Step 4
Thread the chicken onto the skewers, separating the breasts and thighs if using both, and folding any thinner pieces in half so that all the pieces are similarly sized. You should have 6 to 8 skewers total.
- Step 5
If using a grill, lightly oil the grates. Set the grill to medium-high (400 degrees) or heat a grill pan slicked with olive oil on the stovetop over medium-high. Grill the skewers for 8 to 10 minutes with the lid closed, turning once halfway, until fully cooked. (Breast meat will cook more quickly than thighs.) If the chicken sticks to the grates, give the skewers another minute before turning. (An internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 165 degrees.)
- Step 6
Transfer the skewers to a platter and squeeze the reserved lemon over them. Serve the chicken on the skewers, or remove the pieces and arrange them on a platter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley. Serve with toasted pita and tzatziki, as well as additional lemon wedges, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
I've made recipes similar to this many times and it's always good. One caution, though - I would not let the chicken marinate in the yogurt overnight. It gets overly tenderized to the point of being unpleasantly mushy. A couple hours at most would be my advice.
Is there a way to make this without a grill? We have a convection oven with air fryer capability...wondering if and how that might work.
No grill? No problem. You can roast the chicken to cook it through and then crisp it on the stovetop in a sauté pan slicked with neutral oil hot enough to be almost smoking.
Just back from Greece and pining for all of the excellent dishes. This recipe is easy and delicious. Marinated for 2 h. Broiled the chicken breast chunks without putting it on skewers. Threw in red onion on the broiler pan … my mistake was putting the onion on at the same time as the chicken so some of the onion was charred (but still tasty). Used nonfat Greek yogurt for the marinade. Store bought pita, hummus and tzatziki as sides. Will add side of olives next time. Easy enough that it’s on my weeknight dinner list.
a childhood favorite was chicken souvlaki with some kind of tomato sauce, maybe sundried tomatoes were in it. any idea?
Made this as per the recipe with chicken breast, marinated for 3 hours. Did make the pita bread and tzatziki. Side dish was Seared Zucchini and Halloumi in Red-Wine Vinaigrette from this site. SO delicious!! 2 boys home from college plus the 15 yr old LOVED it! So flavorful and moist. Yes, we grilled outside despite the heat wave!