Souvlaki: Chicken Shish Kebab – a comprehensive recipe for creating tender, brined, and marinated chicken served on warm pita bread, generously topped with a vibrant Greek salad and creamy tzatziki sauce.

Experience Authentic Greek Flavors: The Ultimate Chicken Souvlaki Recipe

Embark on a culinary journey to the sun-drenched streets of Greece with this exquisite Chicken Souvlaki recipe. While last week’s culinary adventure brought us Greek comfort food, this week we dive headfirst into the vibrant world of Greek street food. Souvlaki, a cornerstone of Greek cuisine, offers an irresistible combination of succulent, flavorful chicken, crisp fresh vegetables, and tangy, creamy sauces, all embraced by soft, warm pita bread. The moment I encountered a picture of this dish in my cookbook, I knew it was a recipe I had to master and share.

This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience, a symphony of textures and tastes that awakens the senses. Imagine biting into tender, perfectly grilled chicken, infused with aromatic herbs and spices, complemented by the cool crunch of a fresh Greek salad and the refreshing zest of homemade tzatziki. It’s a dish that transports you straight to a bustling taverna, offering a taste of the Mediterranean right in your home kitchen.

The Journey to Perfect Souvlaki: Why This Recipe Stands Out

I recently decided to prepare this delightful Souvlaki for lunch, and while it proved to be undeniably delicious, it also presented quite the culinary undertaking for a midday meal. This isn’t merely one recipe, but four distinct elements converging to create a truly spectacular dish. Each component, though not inherently complex, demands attention and combines to form a layered experience that takes a bit of time to orchestrate. The chicken, for instance, requires a minimum of 24 hours for brining, followed by another 4 to 24 hours of marination. This extended preparation might seem daunting, but let me assure you, the investment in time is profoundly rewarded. The depth of flavor and unparalleled tenderness achieved through these steps are what elevate this Souvlaki from good to absolutely extraordinary. Please, don’t let the multi-step process deter you; the end result is a culinary masterpiece well worth every moment spent in its creation.

A Deep Dive into Flavor: Brining and Marinating Chicken for Souvlaki

The secret to truly unforgettable chicken Souvlaki lies in its meticulous preparation, beginning with a brine and culminating in a flavorful marinade. Brining, a process often overlooked, is a game-changer for chicken breasts, which can easily dry out during cooking. Our brine, a simple solution of water, kosher salt, sugar, and distilled white vinegar, works wonders by tenderizing the chicken and enhancing its moisture retention. This means a juicier, more succulent bite every time. The 24-hour brining period ensures the chicken absorbs these elements, paving the way for maximum flavor.

Following the brine, the chicken is introduced to a rich, aromatic marinade. This blend of extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, and sliced shallots, seasoned with salt and pepper, infuses the meat with the quintessential Mediterranean flavors. The marinade not only adds incredible taste but also continues the tenderizing process, breaking down muscle fibers and making the chicken incredibly tender. Allowing the chicken to marinate for 4 to 24 hours ensures these vibrant flavors penetrate deeply, resulting in a chicken shish kebab that’s bursting with aromatic goodness and boasts a wonderfully tender texture once grilled. This two-step process is the cornerstone of a Souvlaki that truly sings with authenticity.

Crafting the Classic Greek Salad: Freshness in Every Bite

No Souvlaki is complete without a generous topping of fresh, crisp Greek salad. This isn’t just a side dish; it’s an integral component that provides a vital counterpoint of freshness and texture to the rich chicken and creamy tzatziki. The salad, in its full form, is a vibrant medley of ingredients. It features thinly sliced iceberg lettuce for its refreshing crunch, complemented by paper-thin slices of fennel, offering a subtle anise note that adds complexity. Fire-roasted bell peppers contribute a sweet, smoky depth, while halved grape or cherry tomatoes burst with juicy sweetness. English cucumber, peeled and thickly sliced, brings a cool crispness, and thinly sliced scallions add a mild oniony bite.

The inclusion of thinly sliced red onion offers a sharper flavor, balanced by the fresh herbaceous notes of dill and parsley. A sprinkle of dry Greek oregano ties all these garden-fresh ingredients together with its earthy aroma. Finally, mixed green and black olives, pitted and halved, along with whole caperberries, introduce a delightful briny, salty punch that is characteristic of authentic Greek salads. While this recipe provides the full scope of a traditional Greek salad, you’ll only need a portion for your Souvlaki, leaving you with a delicious side salad for other meals. For those seeking to simplify, a few ingredients can be thoughtfully omitted or substituted based on preference and availability without compromising the essential Greek salad experience.

The Zesty Touch: Ladolemono Dressing

To further enhance the freshness of the Greek salad and add a bright, zesty finish to the entire Souvlaki, we prepare Ladolemono. This classic Greek dressing, meaning “oil-lemon” in Greek, is remarkably simple yet incredibly impactful. It’s a harmonious blend of fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dry Greek oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper, all whisked together before slowly drizzling in extra-virgin olive oil. The result is a vibrant, tangy, and herbaceous dressing that perfectly complements the fresh vegetables and the savory grilled chicken. Its acidity cuts through the richness of the meat and creamy tzatziki, brightening every mouthful. While the recipe yields about ¾ cup, you’ll only need approximately ½ cup for your Souvlaki, ensuring you have a little extra to dress any leftover salad or to drizzle over other grilled dishes for an authentic Greek touch. Remember that Ladolemono will separate, so a quick whisk or shake in a jar before each use is key to maintaining its emulsion and flavor integrity.

Cool and Creamy Perfection: Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Rounding out the trio of essential Souvlaki components is the irresistible Tzatziki sauce. This cool, creamy, and garlic-infused yogurt-cucumber dip is the ultimate counterpoint to the warm, savory chicken and the fresh salad. Our homemade Tzatziki starts with an English cucumber, peeled and finely diced, which provides a refreshing crunch. The heart of the sauce, however, lies in its aromatic base: a combination of minced garlic, distilled white vinegar, thickly sliced shallots, and fresh dill, all pulsed in a food processor until finely chopped. This aromatic mixture is then folded into rich Greek yogurt (or labne spread), along with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Seasoned liberally with kosher salt and pepper, the Tzatziki achieves a perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and herbaceous flavors. A note on garlic: I am usually a great lover of garlic, but on one occasion, my tzatziki proved to be quite potent, possibly due to a particularly strong batch of garlic or an overly generous application on the pita. Therefore, I highly recommend adjusting the amount of minced garlic to your personal taste, perhaps starting with a slightly smaller quantity if you’re unsure, or simply using less tzatziki on your pita if you prefer a milder flavor profile. Homemade Tzatziki can be stored in a covered, clean jar in the refrigerator for up to a week, making it a fantastic make-ahead component for your Souvlaki feast and other Mediterranean delights.