When I think of summer dinners growing up at home, I think of this meal. I think of the smell of charred garlic and basil; I think of my stepfather sweating at the grill, a slave to his stopwatch, the wrath of my mother should the chicken be the slightest bit overcooked driving his utmost concentration; I think of sitting at the table in our screened-in porch with my brother and sister and eventually Ben, too. I think of eating for hours, a time of considerably faster metabolisms. I think of the candles melting into the tabletop, the humidity just beginning to subside, and the buzz of the crickets as we clear the table at the end of the night. This is one of my favorite meals — grilled chicken, tzatziki, warm pita, and some sort of salad. This couldn’t be simpler to throw together: marinate the chicken and make the tzatziki in the morning; skewer the chicken while the grill is preheating; make a simple, refreshing salad somewhere in between.
What is souvlaki?
Souvlaki comes from the Greek word souvla, which means “spit.” Souvlaki is marinated, skewered, cooked cubes of meat (often lamb, beef, pork, or chicken). Traditionally, souvlaki is dressed with tzatziki (a cucumber-yogurt sauce), and served with chopped tomatoes and onion, and warmed pita.
Souvlaki Marinade
There’s no real need to measure with marinades in general, and souvlaki marinade is no exception. Just be sure the chicken is coated in olive oil; be generous with the basil and garlic; use a teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat; grind pepper to taste; a few good pinches of oregano should suffice.
olive oil garlic basil oregano kosher salt freshly cracked black pepper
What to Serve with Souvlaki
How to Make Chicken Souvlaki
Gather lots of garlic and basil, and transfer them to a food processor. You can also mince by hand if you prefer. Purée into a fine paste. Scrape down the sides, add a splash of olive oil, and purée again. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cubes of chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer.) Season with salt, pepper, and oregano (optional); then toss to coat. Transfer to the fridge for a few hours or up to 48 hours. Then skewer the meat. This 4-qt glass bowl comes with a lid, which is so nice for storing. This is the bowl I use most often for mixing bread, too. I have two of them because I use them so often. Prepare a grill or preheat your broiler to high. Broil for 5 minutes on one side. Flip. Broil 4-5 minutes on the other side. If you’re grilling, it may take much less time, 3 minutes a side or so depending on how hot it is. Recently, I’ve been smearing the tzatziki on a platter and tumbling the skewered chicken over top. I love serving chicken souvlaki with a simple tomato or cucumber and feta salad. The dressing is simply equal parts olive oil and white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, basil or mint, and feta to taste: An old photo of this favorite meal: 5 from 20 reviews
