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Greek

Chicken souvlaki

Non-vegetarian

Σουβλάκι κοτόπουλο · Souvláki kotópoulo

Chunks of chicken thigh marinated in lemon, garlic, oregano and olive oil, threaded onto skewers and grilled until charred. Served with pita, tzatziki and salad.

Chicken souvlaki is a Greek grilled dish from Greece, ready in about 2 hours 27 minutes and made with chicken thigh, lemon juice and dried oregano. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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A vibrant meal of grilled chicken skewers and crispy fries served on a red plate.
Photo: Daniel Dan / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Rest
2 h
Total
2 h 27 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
370

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the oil, lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and zest, garlic (opens in a new tab), oregano (opens in a new tab), paprika (opens in a new tab), salt and pepper (opens in a new tab). Toss with the chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours (up to overnight).

    • 120 min

    Food safety: Marinate raw chicken in the fridge and wash hands and surfaces after handling it.

    Meat coated in a spiced marinade in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Ip Photographer on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Soak wooden skewers (opens in a new tab) in water for 20 minutes (if using) and thread on the chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Grill over medium-high heat, turning every few minutes, until charred in places and cooked through.

    Food safety: Chicken should reach 74 °C in the centre.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Serve with warm pita, lemon (opens in a new tab) wedges, tzatziki and salad.

      A finished dish being plated
      How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Greece · Well documentedPork is the most traditional souvlaki meat in Greece; chicken is now just as common.Also popular in United Kingdom, AustraliaMore food from Greece
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Grills & kebabs · Main courses · Street food
    Cooking method
    Grilled, Marinated / cured
    Taste
    citrusy, herby, smoky, garlicky
    Diet
    Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
    All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Mediterranean-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    Without the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No gluten ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Make-ahead · Meal-prep friendly · Street food · Child-friendly
    Cook more with
    Chicken thigh · Lemon juice · Dried oregano · Lemon zest · Garlic
    Techniques
    Grilling · Charcoal grilling · Marinating · Curing

    Allergens

    • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom pita bread
    • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom pita bread
    • May contain: Sesamefrom pita bread

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    370 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 231 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 43%
    • Carbohydrate 3%
    • Fat 54%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy370 kcal161 kcal
    Protein39.6 g17.2 g
    Carbohydrate2.4 g1 g
    Net carbohydrate2 g0.8 g
    Sugars0.4 g0.2 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre0.4 g0.2 g
    Fat21.8 g9.4 g
    Saturated fat4.1 g1.8 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol188 mg82 mg
    Sodium774 mg335 mg
    Salt equivalent1.9 g0.8 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    519 mg
    Calcium
    30 mg
    Iron
    2 mg
    Magnesium
    49 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    15 µg
    Vitamin C
    6 mg
    Vitamin D
    0 µg
    Vitamin B12
    1.2 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    12 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: paprika, pita bread, lemon.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Thighs stay juicy on the grill far better than breast.

    Common mistakes

    • Marinating far longer than overnight — the lemon starts to turn the chicken mushy.

    Serve with

    • Wrap in pita with tzatziki, tomato, onion and chips for a Greek street-food pita.

    Storage

    • Cooked chicken keeps 3 days in the fridge.

    Reheating

    • Reheat in a hot pan or eat cold in salads.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 1, 4

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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