Souvlaki

Souvlaki is the Greek version of the American Kabob… in a manner of speaking… kind of, sort of. It is marinated in white wine, olive oil, and spices and skewered. It is then grilled to perfection. This dish is light and full of flavor. You can serve this simple dish with the sides of your choice. I love serving it with lemon rice and a side salad with a lemon vinaigrette or a balsamic vinaigrette. You can also add this to pita with the addition of a cucumber salad, greens, and tzatziki for a burst of fresh flavor. However you decide to serve this tasty little dish, it will surely please the entire family.

Grab your skewers and let’s make some delicious souvlaki.

INGREDIENTS:

8 cloves of garlic – minced
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt and pepper ( or to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine ( use a white wine that you would typically drink)
Juice of 1 Lemon ( you can also use the zest as well – zest first then juice)
1 bay leaf
2 large chicken breasts – cut into 1 1/2 pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the bay leaf and the chicken, in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Add the chicken, marinade, and bay leaf to a Ziploc bag or a glass container with a lid and massage the marinade all over the chicken. Cover OR release all the air from the Ziploc bag and let rest for 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. Remove and let come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking.
3. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes to prevent burning. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, about 4 or 5 per skewer. Set aside.
4. Place a grill pan or skillet over medium heat and brush with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place the chicken skewers on the grill pan or skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes on side one and 2 to 3 minutes on side two. Make sure the chicken is cooked completely through. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan or else it will steam instead of browning.
5. Remove to a plate or tray to rest. Finish up with the remaining skewers.

• If you are unsure if the chicken is done you can use a meat thermometer. It should register 160* on the thermometer. The temp will rise the extra 5* as it sets and will not be dry. Keep in mind that a smaller cut of chicken ( such as cubed chicken) will cook faster and reach doneness quicker than say a chicken breast or thigh. I find that a medium temp to medium-low temp (on an electric stove or 2 to 3 on a gas stove) with the above cooking minutes stated above cooks the chicken perfectly. If you like your chicken to be a bit more “done” AKA extra done, then by all means cook it longer per side.
• Do not overcrowd the pan. This will cause steaming and will not allow the chicken to cook perfectly and will not be able to brown. Only add as many skewers as the pan will allow (3 or 4 skewers) with room to circulate the air and heat so the chicken becomes brown.
• Once the chicken skewers are done, remove them to a plate or tray and let them rest for 5 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute back into the chicken and stay juicy, flavorful, and not dry.
• Serve this with ( in my opinion but you serve it how you want to) lemon rice, and tzatziki, or stuff the chicken into a pita with cucumber salad, veggies, greens, and either tzatziki or a tahini sauce.
• If you do not want to grill or pan-fry these skewers you can bake them. Bake at 350* for about 15 to 20 minutes or so or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove to a plate and let rest before serving. You can use the skewers if you want to if you are baking them. This step is up to you. I prefer to grill them as the grill adds a ton of flavor. You can also grill these on a BBQ grill for a smoky flavor. This is also delicious and my preferred method during the summer.