Chicken Souvlaki Recipe
Dive into the rich flavors of Greece with this Chicken Souvlaki recipe, where tender, marinated chicken meets fresh, homemade pitta and a refreshing tzatziki sauce.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- 4 long metal skewers
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 lemon zested and juiced, plus wedges from another lemon to serve
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 250 g strong white bread flour
- 7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp golden caster sugar
- 2 tsp olive oil plus extra for greasing
- ½ cucumber deseeded and finely chopped
- 200 g Greek yogurt
- Small bunch of fresh mint finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove crushed
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 butter or round lettuce
- 4 large tomatoes deseeded and chopped
- 1 red onion halved and thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the chicken thighs with olive oil, dried oregano, mint, cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, ground cinnamon, lemon zest, lemon juice, and crushed garlic. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Ensure each piece of chicken is thoroughly coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but preferably up to 48 hours to allow the flavors to deeply infuse.
- A few hours before serving, prepare the pitta bread. In a bowl, mix the strong white bread flour, fast-action dried yeast, golden caster sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt using your fingertips. Gradually pour in 150ml of lukewarm water and 2 teaspoons of olive oil, mixing until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a tabletop mixer for about 5 minutes. Once kneaded, clean the mixing bowl, lightly oil it, return the dough, and cover with cling film. Leave it to rise for about an hour or until nearly doubled in size.
- After the dough has risen, divide it into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a circle, as thin as possible. Cover the dough circles with lightly oiled cling film and let them rise for another 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare the tzatziki by finely chopping the deseeded cucumber and combining it with Greek yogurt, freshly chopped mint, crushed garlic, and the juice of half a lemon. Season with a pinch of salt. Chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- Preheat your grill to its highest setting. Line a roasting tin with foil. Take the marinated chicken thighs from the fridge. Thread each thigh onto the metal skewers, using two skewers for each piece to ensure stability. Continue threading until you have six thighs on each pair of skewers, leaving slight gaps between each piece. Position the skewers over the roasting tin and set them aside while you finish preparing the pitta bread.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly brush the pitta dough circles with olive oil. Carefully place one into the hot pan. It should sizzle, and bubbles will form on the surface after 1-2 minutes. Once the underside is golden, flip the pitta and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping the cooked pittas warm in foil or in a low oven. If preferred, you can cook the pittas on a barbecue for 5-8 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Place the chicken skewers under the preheated grill and cook for 15-20 minutes. Regularly brush the chicken with olive oil and any juices from the roasting tin, turning the skewers halfway through the cooking process. Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut through the pairs of skewers to create four individual kebabs. Serve the succulent chicken in warm pitta bread, accompanied by crisp lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced red onion, lemon wedges, and a generous dollop of tzatziki