Grilled Chicken Souvlaki with Hummus-Yogurt Dip. Succulent boneless chicken thighs marinated in a blend of garlic, oregano, rosemary, and more, grilled to perfection on skewers. Pair it with a creamy Hummus-Yogurt Dip, enhancing the experience with a zesty lemon kick.
This easy-to-follow recipe promises a delightful Mediterranean feast. It is one of my go-to recipes for a weeknight or weekend lunch or dinner, backyard parties and large events.
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Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
Easy Chicken Souvlaki Marinade
- Garlic cloves
- Dried oregano
- Dried rosemary
- Sweet paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dry white wine
- Lemon
- Bay leaves
Hummus-Yogurt Dip
- Hummus (homemade or store bought)
- Plain 2% Greek yogurt
- Lemon
- Lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
- 10-12 6-8” Skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 60 minutes, so that they do not burn.
Instructions
For the Marinade
Place the garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt & pepper into the bowl of a small food processor and blitz to combine. Add the white wine and lemon juice, mix, and combine. Slowly add the oil and combine.
Place chicken in a large bowl and add bay leaves. Top with marinade. Toss to combine, making sure chicken is well-coated with marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate 2 to 18 hours.
Hummus-Yogurt Dip
Mix the hummus, yogurt, lemon zest and juice together. Taste, season with salt & pepper and add more lemon juice if desired.
Skewer and Grill
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Thread chicken pieces on the skewers (4-5 pieces/skewer).
Place skewers on the grill.
Cook 3-5 minutes/side until chicken is slightly charred and cooked through. To ensure the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
Top Tips:
- Marinating Magic: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours, or even better, overnight. This ensures the flavours penetrate the meat, resulting in a more flavourful and tender dish.
- Wooden Skewer Soak: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 60 minutes before grilling. This prevents them from burning during cooking.
- Even Skewering: When threading the chicken onto skewers, aim for even-sized pieces. This ensures uniform cooking, preventing some pieces from being overcooked while others are undercooked.
- Preheat Grill: Make sure to preheat your clean grill to medium-high heat before cooking. A properly preheated grill helps achieve that desired char on the chicken while ensuring it cooks evenly.
- Char for Flavour: Do not shy away from a bit of charring. The slight char on the chicken adds a smoky flavour that enhances the overall taste of the souvlaki.
- Check for Doneness: To ensure the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). This guarantees juicy and safe-to-eat chicken.
What to Serve with Chicken Souvlaki
- Appetizers: Make smaller skewers and serve in individual boats with a dollop of hummus-yogurt dip with a few Kalamata olives.
- Family Style Souvlaki Pitas: Serve skewers on a large platter with a stack of warm pitas, a bowl of hummus-yogurt dip, Kalamata olives, chopped tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. Have your guests build their own pitas.
- Souvlaki Dinner: Serve the skewers on a bed of rice, with lemon potatoes, hummus-yogurt dip or Tzatziki sauce, and a Greek salad.
This last photo was taken the day I grilled one hundred and twenty skewers for my niece’s shower!
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If you get the chance to try this Grilled Chicken Souvlaki with Hummus-Yogurt Dip recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks in advance, Elaine & James 🙂
📖 Recipe
Grilled Chicken Souvlaki with Hummus-Yogurt Dip
Equipment
- 10-12 6" or 8” Skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 60 minutes, so that they do not burn.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs fat removed, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces.
Marinade
- 5 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon each Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 bay leaves
Hummus-Yogurt Dip
- 2 cups hummus homemade or store bought
- ½ cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Marinade the Chicken
- Place the garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt & pepper into the bowl of a small food processor and blitz to combine. Add the white wine and lemon juice, mix, and combine. Slowly add the oil and combine.
- Place chicken in a large bowl and add bay leaves. Top with marinade. Toss to combine, making sure chicken is well-coated with marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate 2 to 18 hours.
Hummus-Yogurt Dip
- Mix the hummus, yogurt, lemon zest and juice together. Taste, season with salt & pepper and add more lemon juice if desired.
Skewer and Grill
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Thread chicken pieces on the skewers (4-5 pieces/skewer).
- Place skewers on the grill.
- Cook 3-5 minutes/side until chicken is slightly charred and cooked through. To ensure the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
What to Serve with Chicken Souvlaki
- Appetizers: Make smaller skewers and serve in individual boats with a dollop of hummus-yogurt dip with a few Kalamata olives.Family Style Souvlaki Pitas: Serve skewers on a large platter with a stack of warm pitas, a bowl of hummus-yogurt dip, Kalamata olives, chopped tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. Have your guests build their own pita. Souvlaki Dinner: Serve the skewers on a bed of rice, with lemon potatoes, hummus-yogurt dip or Tzatziki sauce, and a Greek salad.Enjoy!
Notes
-
- Marinating Magic: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours, or even better, overnight. This ensures the flavours penetrate the meat, resulting in a more flavourful and tender dish.
-
- Wooden Skewer Soak: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 60 minutes before grilling. This prevents them from burning during cooking.
-
- Even Skewering: When threading the chicken onto skewers, aim for even-sized pieces. This ensures uniform cooking, preventing some pieces from being overcooked while others are undercooked.
-
- Preheat Grill: Make sure to preheat your clean grill to medium-high heat before cooking. A properly preheated grill helps achieve that desired char on the chicken while ensuring it cooks evenly.
-
- Char for Flavour: Do not shy away from a bit of charring. The slight char on the chicken adds a smoky flavour that enhances the overall taste of the souvlaki.
-
- Check for Doneness: To ensure the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). This guarantees juicy and safe-to-eat chicken.
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