Chicken ‘n Veggie Souvlaki
Did you know that “souvlaki” is Greek for “tiny swords?” So typically a souvlaki dish is composed of marinated fish, chicken, lamb, beef or pork grilled on skewers often with vegetables. My version pairs chicken and colorful veggies with an aromatic marinade highlighting classic Greek flavors such as oregano, dill, garlic, green onions and fresh lemon.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano leaves about 1/2 cup leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill about 1/4 cup dill sprigs
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions about 1 green onion
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 to 3 lemons
- 2 cloves garlic crushed (or more if you like)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium onion cut into chunks and separated into pieces
- 2 medium yellow squash cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- Metal or wooden skewers
Note: for wooden skewers, soak in water for 20 minutes to prevent burning. If broiling, metal skewers are recommended.
Instructions
- Marinade: in a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken chunks and veggies into separate bowls. Rub 1/2 the marinade over the veggies and the remaining 1/2 over the chicken chunks. Cover both bowls; refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 day, turning occasionally.
- Assemble Skewers: thread chicken chunks and veggies onto skewers, alternating as desired. Discard any remaining marinade from chicken. Reserve remaining vegetable marinade for cooking.
- To Grill: lightly oil grill rack. Preheat grill to medium-high setting. Place skewers on lightly oiled grill rack. Grill for about 8 minutes, turning once, brushing with remaining vegetable marinade. Remove skewers when chicken is cooked through (with no pink remaining) and vegetables are lightly charred. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- To Broil: lightly coat a baking sheet (with sides) with olive oil spray. Arrange skewers on baking sheet. Broil for about 8 minutes, turning once, brushing with remaining vegetable marinade. Remove skewers when chicken is cooked through (with no pink remaining) and vegetables are lightly charred. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: chicken and veggies may be marinated (in separate bowls) up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. To reheat leftovers, remove chicken and veggies from skewers; heat in a covered baking dish at 325 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until hot. Freezing is not recommended.
Souvlaki is an extremely versatile dish and would be delicious made with chunks of fish such as salmon or mahi-mahi, lamb, beef or pork. Or how about doing a fun combo of scallops and shrimp? Have fun switching up your veggies taking advantage of favorites that are available locally such as eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers.
Souvlaki would make a fabulous “mezze” (small plates) choice for parties! For “minis,” thread the chicken and veggies onto small skewers. Delicious served with a couscous dish, pita and the classic Greek dip, Tzatziki.
You may also enjoy Herbed Salmon 'n Tomato Kabobs and Beef Kefta Kabobs.