Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Serves: 4

This homemade Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki recipe takes you to the streets of Athens, complete with the best souvlaki marinade! The word souvlaki simply means “meat on skewers.” But Greeks also use it to describe the actual meal—warm pita, loaded with perfectly marinated grilled meat and topped with tzatziki sauce. Even a handful of fries is sometimes tucked into the pita, though here we’ve chosen to use a healthier selection of fixings.

INGREDIENTS

For the souvlaki marinade:

10 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced

For the chicken:

2½ lb. organic boneless skinless chicken breast, fat removed, cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 bay leaves

Pita fixings:

Smooth Tzatziki (page 218)
sliced tomato, cucumber, onions and kalamata olives
Greek pita bread

Ideas to serve alongside (optional):

Simple Greek Salad (page 131)
roasted garlic hummus
mezze platter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined.
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the bay leaves. Top with the marinade. Toss to combine, making sure the chicken is well coated with the marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Soak 10 to 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the tzatziki sauce and other fixings, and if you’re adding Greek salad or other sides, prepare those as well.
4. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the prepared skewers. Reserve the marinade.
5. Brush the grates of an outdoor grill or a griddle with a little oil and heat to medium high. Place the chicken skewers on the grill (or cook in batches on the griddle, if necessary). Cook, turning skewers to grill evenly on all sides and brushing lightly with the remaining marinade, until well browned and the internal temperature registers 155°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes total.
6. Discard any leftover marinade. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly grill the pitas and keep warm.
7. Assemble the pitas: First, spread tzatziki sauce on each pita. Remove the chicken pieces from the skewers. Add the chicken to each pita, then add the veggies and the olives.
8. If you want more items to add to your buffet, consider Greek salad, watermelon salad or roasted garlic hummus.

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my Mediterranean Refresh Meal Plan Cookbook here