Chicken Souvlaki
Lemon-oregano chicken skewers with tzatziki.
Ingredients
- 700 g Chicken thighs
- 2 Lemon
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 Pita (optional)
Method
- Cube the chicken and toss with the lemon, garlic, oregano, olive oil, and salt to marinate.
- Let the chicken rest at least 20 minutes, then thread the cubes onto skewers.
- Grill the skewers over high heat, turning every few minutes, until charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Serve with warm pita.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Chicken Souvlaki
Chicken souvlaki is Greek street food at its most iconic, small cubes of meat marinated, threaded onto skewers, and grilled over high heat until charred at the edges. The marinade is the classic Greek trinity of lemon, garlic, and dried oregano bound with olive oil, a combination that both seasons the meat and, thanks to the lemon's acidity, tenderizes it. Using chicken thighs rather than breast is what keeps this version juicy, since the extra fat stands up to the fierce heat of the grill without drying out. The brief rest in the marinade before grilling lets those bright, herbal flavors soak in.
The result is smoky and charred outside, tender and lemony within, with the oregano and garlic giving every bite that instantly recognizable Greek flavor. It is casual, hands-on eating: pulled off the skewer and tucked into warm pita, usually with cool, garlicky tzatziki to balance the char. Souvlaki is the go-to quick grill for a crowd and comes together in about thirty-five minutes, most of it marinating time. Warm the pita right on the grill so it picks up a little smoke of its own, and serve the skewers hot off the heat.
Chicken Souvlaki: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between chicken souvlaki and a gyro?
Souvlaki is made from small chunks of meat (chicken, pork, or lamb) that are marinated and grilled on a skewer, whereas a gyro is made from seasoned meat stacked in a cone on a vertical rotisserie and shaved off in thin slices as it cooks. Both are Greek and often served the same way—wrapped in pita with tomato, onion, and tzatziki—so the core difference is the cut and cooking method (skewered chunks vs. shaved rotisserie meat), not the toppings. "Souvlaki" literally means "little skewer" in Greek, while "gyro" comes from the Greek word for "turn," referring to the rotating spit.
How many calories are in Chicken Souvlaki?
A serving has about 568 calories — 34.7g protein, 8.2g carbs, 44.1g fat, 1.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 34.7g of protein, roughly 24% of its calories.
Is Chicken Souvlaki gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Pita. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Chicken Souvlaki take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 21 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Chicken Souvlaki?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out pita — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Chicken Souvlaki make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.