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Greek salad and chicken souvlaki

Greek salad and chicken souvlaki

Juicy marinated chicken thighs threaded onto skewers and grilled until smoky, delivering a hit of garlic and warm spices. Served with a vibrant Greek salad of crisp cucumber, tomatoes and creamy feta, alongside warm pitta and cool tzatziki, this is a true crowd-pleaser.

Prep:over 2 hours
Cook:10 to 30 mins
Serves:Serves 4
Dietary:None specified
Saturday Kitchen Chef photoBy Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Nutri-Score E

This Greek salad and chicken souvlaki receives a Nutri-Score of E due to the high salt content from the feta and olives, alongside the high fat content from the olive oil, yoghurt and chicken thighs.

Per serving (approximate): 800 kcal, 40g fat (of which 12g saturates), 35g carbohydrates, 8g sugars, 2g fibre, and 45g protein.

Equipment

Ingredients

For the chicken souvlaki

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes

For the Greek salad

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunky wedges
  • ½ large cucumber, thickly sliced
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 green pepper, sliced into rings
  • 150–200g/5½–7oz feta, in brine
  • 100g/3½oz Kalamata olives
  • 25ml/1fl oz extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to season
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper, plus extra to season

To serve

  • 4 pitta breads
  • 200g/7oz tzatziki

Customise

  • Swap chicken thighs for pork tenderloin for a leaner souvlaki
  • Use lamb leg instead of chicken for a traditional Greek flavour
  • Replace tzatziki with plain yoghurt if you prefer a simpler dip
  • Add chilli flakes to the chicken marinade for an extra kick of heat
  • Swap green pepper for red pepper for a different colour and flavour

Method

Marinate the Chicken (10 mins + 4 hours resting — start this well ahead)

  1. Make the marinade — Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, cumin, paprika, a little salt and pepper and the plain yoghurt in a bowl. Stir everything together until you have a smooth, fragrant mixture.
  2. Coat the chicken — Add the cubed chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them until every piece is well coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours — this will make the meat incredibly tender and flavourful.

Thread and Grill the Souvlaki (15 mins — do this while you assemble the salad)

  1. Thread the skewers — Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge and thread the cubes onto skewers. Try to space the pieces slightly apart so they cook evenly on the grill.
  2. Heat the grill — Get your grill nice and hot. Lay the chicken skewers on the grates and grill them for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them regularly, until they are lightly charred on the outside and completely cooked through.

Make the Greek Salad (10 mins)

  1. Prep the vegetables — Put the chunky tomato wedges, thickly sliced cucumber, sliced red onion and rings of green pepper into a large salad bowl.
  2. Add cheese and olives — Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper. Crumble in some of the feta and scatter in the Kalamata olives.
  3. Dress the salad — Whisk the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar together in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss everything to combine. Top with the remaining pieces of feta, sprinkle over the dried oregano and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Assemble and Serve (5 mins)

  1. Warm the bread — Warm the pitta breads in the toaster or under the grill so they are soft and comforting.
  2. Plate up — Serve the warm chicken souvlaki alongside the vibrant Greek salad. Add a generous dollop of tzatziki and enjoy the wonderful mix of warm, smoky meat and cool, crisp vegetables.

 

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