These Chicken Souvlakia are so tender and juicy due to the marinade which features the fresh-tasting combination of lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil combined with Greek yoghurt that are so prevalent in Greek cuisine.
Note: Singular = souvlaki – Plural = souvlakia (pr. souh-VLAH-kee / souh-VHAH-kheea
If you want to learn more about the history, origin etc., you will find more in my post for souvlaki (pork or lamb) kebabs.
Living in Athens in an apartment with a small balcony, is not easy to barbecue because we do not have the space to do this often.
We do have a small barbecue but we avoid using it as whenever we do, the smoke gets into the apartment.
HOW I MAKE CHICKEN SOUVLAKIA
Some times I use the oven grill but i prefer using my sautéing pan as they come out very tender and tasty.
I have made them many times and the basic ingredients I always use is salt, pepper and oregano. Some times I marinate the meat with salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil and lemon juice.
Other times I marinate them in a yoghurt-mustard sauce and other times depending on what ingredients I have at home I add bell peppers, onion and mushrooms and make shish kebabs.
Serve them with some Homemade Pita bread.
Chicken Salad with Leftover Chicken
I am sure there will be no leftovers, but I always make more, so that I can also make this delicious summer pasta dish using some other leftover ingredients.
Of course, you can use any leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken to make this salad, which makes a very light and filling meal.
Pasta Salad with Leftover Chicken Souvlaki
A refreshing, cold pasta salad, with leftover chicken souvlaki, which is a very light and filling meal.
Ingredients
- 2 skewers of leftover grilled chicken souvlaki
- 250 grams pasta shells
- 2 small cucumbers, with the skin on, cut into rounds
- 1 big tomato, cut in bite-size pieces
- 2 cups lettuce, cut by hand
- 2 carrots, peeled and shaved with a potato peeler
Salad dressing:
- ½ cup Greek Yoghurt 2% (or ¼ cup yoghurt and ¼ cup low fat mayonnaise)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp mild mustard
- Freshly grated black pepper
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package instructions, about 15 minutes Add cold water until they cool and drain.
- Put it in a bowl with all the salad ingredients.
- Cut the chicken souvlaki into smaller pieces and add it to the salad.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- In a food processor add the garlic, yoghurt, mayonnaise and mustard and make the dressing.
- Mix all the dressing in the salad.
- Refrigerate for half an hour and then serve.
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 504Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 65mgSodium 804mgCarbohydrates 75gFiber 8gSugar 12gProtein 38g
You can find many more Greek recipes in my cookbook “More Than A Greek Salad”, and “Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!” both available on all Amazon stores.
Chicken Souvlaki
These Chicken Souvlakia are so tender and juicy due to the marinade which features the fresh-tasting combination of lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil combined with Greek yoghurt that are so prevalent in Greek cuisine.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts (skin removed) about 400 grams
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Marinade ingredients:
- 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt (2%)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A pinch of Greek oregano
- A pinch of thyme
- A pinch of sweek boukovo (Greek chili flakes)
- Grated garlic
Instructions
- Wash and cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes.
- Mix in all the marinade ingredients and marinate for 30 minutes or more.
- Thread the meat on skewers.
- Brush a cast iron grilling or sautéing pan with 1 tbsp olive and grill the meat, turning evenly to cook on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Serve with pita bread, tzatziki and Greek salad or more grilled vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Yield 3 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 348Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 126mgSodium 318mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 33g
Grilled Meat
Summer is here. Time to make some barbecue!
Lamb or Pork Souvlaki
Souvlaki plural souvlakia are pieces of meat grilled on a skewer aka Greek kebabs. Â Souvla in Greek means skewer and souvlaki (plural souvlakia)Â is the diminutive of souvla (little skewer). Â The pieces of meat skewered and barbequed on skewers are also called souvlakia.
Sheftalia in Cyprus Pita
Sheftali pl. Sheftalia are like oval shaped meatballs, which are wrapped in caul fat. Caul fat is the membrane that surrounds the stomach and is transparent, fragile, and naturally fatty, although when it is finally grilled or barbecued all the fat melts away giving lots of flavour to the crepinettes.
Kokoretsi
Kokoretsi is a traditional Greek dish made mainly, but not only, during Easter, consisting mainly of seasoned pieces of lamb or goat offal (sweetbread, hearts, lungs, or kidneys), skewered on a spit and wrapped with lamb or goat caul fat and intestines and grilled together with the lamb.
Ovelias - Easter Whole Lamb Roasted on the spit or Souvla
Ovelias is a Greek Easter tradition where a whole lamb is roasted on the spit.Â
Kebab Yiaourtlou
Kebab Yiaourtlou, is a dish made with ground lamb or veal or a mixture of both, kneaded together with onion, garlic, and spices, then packed by hand around skewers and grilled.
The recipe is adapted from my cookbook "More Than A Greek Salad".
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
Peter
Thursday 30th of July 2009
Nice to see yogurt in this marinade as well. I found it to a wonderful ingredient for tenderizing and keeping chicken moist. Souvlakia are so part of Greek summer!
Jen of a2eatwrite
Wednesday 29th of July 2009
Ivy, I love these recipes! I, too, adore a good macaroni salad in the summer with a variety of ingredients, and I make something similar to the souvlaki frequently. This is all so delicious!
Soma
Wednesday 29th of July 2009
Oh Souvlaki.. bring them on Ivy:-) I make chicken pasta a lot for a whole meal in a bowl.. my kids love it.
bergamot
Tuesday 28th of July 2009
Your post always introduce me to something very different... the pasta looks delicious
Niki
Tuesday 28th of July 2009
Chicken souvlaki on pita w/ tzatziki, red onion and tomato is hands down, my favorite sandwich on a pita!!! In fact, I am going to have that for dinner tomorrow at the cafe! YAY!