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Greek grilled chicken skewers are a flavorful and easy-to-make dinner. These skewers use tender chicken breast or thighs, richly marinated in a blend of oregano, lemon, and garlic, then grilled to perfection.
Greek Culture Behind This Recipe
This grilled Greek chicken recipe, or authentic souvlaki, comes directly from my friend and former teaching partner, Christina, whose heritage is deeply rooted in Greece.
The first time I went to Greece, I visited Athens, Santorini and finally Crete. I tasted my first Greek Salad, with tangy, creamy feta, delicious Greek Chicken, Moussaka, Pastit*io, and ouzo in Greece.
My taste buds were never the same again. Since then, my go-to marinade for just about anything is Greek-inspired, which you’ll see in many Greek chicken recipes, and is made with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and lots of fresh herbs. Oregano is a signature herb in lots of Greek dishes with chicken.
How To Make Greek Chicken Marinade
As with most European dishes, simplicity is key. These Greek chicken skewers are no exception. Whether opting for chicken thighs or breast, Greek cuisine shines through in the marination process, similar to authentic souvlaki.
The marinade is a combination of lemon juice and red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, and olive oil. The chicken should marinate for 3 hours for maximum flavor, but in a pinch, 30 minutes is fine.
To prepare the Greek chicken skewers marinade you’ll need:
In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. That’s it! The Greek grilled chicken marinade is ready.
Quick meal prep tip! You can prep several meals at once by preparing the marinade, adding the chicken chunks to the bag, and freezing. The night before you plan to grill, defrost them in the fridge. They can defrost and marinate at the same time!
How To Make Authentic Greek Grilled Chicken Skewers
Once the chicken chunks have been marinated, thread them on a metal kabob or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo skewers, remember to soak them for at least 30 minutes in water to prevent them from burning.
To maximize the amount of skewers you can make, add mushroom caps, bell pepper, or onion to the skewers if desired. Perfect for a BBQ!
Grill or broil chicken until done. This will depend on the thickness of your chicken and the temperature of your grill or broiler. If grilling, place skewers on the grill, turning occasionally until thoroughly cooked and golden on all sides, about 10 – 15 minutes.
Either chicken thighs or breasts can be used. Breast meat has less fat, but isn’t as juicy. Thighs have more fat but are more flavorful. You can also use a combination of breasts and thighs.
What to Serve With Greek Chicken?
From a vibrant Greek salad to Crispy Greek Potatoes or refreshing Greek Pasta, there are lots of great sides to go with Greek dishes with chicken.
If you want the meal to be lighter and low-carb, these Grilled Vegetables or feta and dill stuffed Zucchini Boats make a delicious addition to any Mediterranean meal.
Greek Grilled Chicken {Chicken Souvlakia}
Cynthia
Greek style grilled chicken. Recipe courtesy of Christina Bogris.
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Coat chicken pieces.
Marinate chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes. Marinate up to three hours for maximum flavor.
Thread chicken on metal skewers. Add mushroom caps and bell pepper if desired.
Grill or broil chicken until done. This will depend on the thickness of your chicken, and temperature of your grill or broiler.
Notes
Either chicken thighs or breasts can be used. Breast meat has less fat, but isn’t as juicy. Thighs have more fat, but are more flavorful. You can also use a combination of breast and thighs.
Add veggies to your skewers if desired. This also makes more skewers and is perfect for a BBQ.
Make ahead tip: Add your marinade to a zip-lock bag with chicken pieces and freeze. The day before you are ready to cook chicken, defrost bag in fridge. It will defrost and marinate all at once.
There are 210 calories in 1 serving (4 oz) of The Simple Greek Grilled Chicken. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Yes, chicken from the grill can be part of a heart-healthy diet because it is low in saturated fat and high in lean protein, which supports cardiovascular health.
As one of the most popular lean protein sources, grilled chicken breast is easy to find in many restaurants, salad bars, and home cooked meals across the country. It's not only a quick, accessible, and delicious option for lunch and dinner, but it's also remarkably nutritious, full of protein, B vitamins, and minerals.
Grilled chicken typically provides a nice char, which gives the poultry more flavor and texture compared to baking or sauteing. It's especially nice during the warmer months because you get some fresh air — and the technique prevents the house from being overwhelmed with cooking odors.
There are only 343 calories in each portion of this Chicken Souvlaki and Tzatziki which means falls into our Everyday Light category. This recipe is perfect if you're following a calorie controlled diet and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
Undoubtedly, grilled chicken is an excellent source of protein, low in fat and is nutrient dense. An 85 gm portion of skinless, boneless chicken breast yields just 102 calories. A high-protein diet is very effective in weight loss, both in the short and long-term. But portion control is very important.
Can I eat chicken everyday? Absolutely. Grilled or baked chicken throughout the week is the suggested way to prepare chicken. You can make simple, healthy chicken dinners, served over a salad of mixed greens, or mixed with peppers and onions for fajitas.
How much chicken should I eat per day to lose weight? As a lean meat, chicken doesn't have much fat — so aim for 100g per day as part of a balanced diet to make sure you're getting what you need. High is protein, it's a solid choice for feeling satiated for longer, weight loss and maintaining lean body mass.
"Eating chicken every day as your sole protein source could result in some nutrient gaps," says Burgess. "For example, since skinless chicken breast contains very little fat, consuming it every day may lead to a lack of essential fats in your diet."
At 330 calories and 7 grams of fat when ordered without sauce, this savory sandwich is a big hit. A toasted multigrain bun holds a grilled boneless breast of chicken, green leaf lettuce, and tomato. Add a 60-calorie Fruit Cup for a tasty, nutritious meal.
Chicken gets the most points because it's versatile, low in fat and inexpensive. While you can eat most parts of the chicken, nutritionists suggest eating the breasts because they have less saturated fat and calories.
Overall, grilled chicken offers better health, nutrition, and taste if cooked the right way compared to fried chicken. Fried chicken requires oil for it to be cooked, and that is its first downfall healthwise. The oil gives food high fat content, calories, and salt to any food used with it.
Grilling drains excess fats from cooked foods while pan-frying boosts grease and fats since you've used oils for cooking. Grilling vs. pan-frying is another crossroads food lovers often come to; however, it's crucial to know that grilling helps maximize the healthiness of what you're about to devour.
1 serving of grilled mediterranean chicken (Milestones) contains 680 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 23% carbs, 40% fat, and 37% protein. This is a good source of protein (114% of your Daily Value), fiber (21% of your Daily Value), and calcium (15% of your Daily Value).
In a 3.5-oz serving of cooked boneless and skinless chicken breast, a person is consuming about 165 calories. They are also getting: 31 grams (g) of protein. 3.6 g of fat.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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