Easy Greek Grilled Chicken Skewers
Juicy Greek grilled chicken skewers marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano and rosemary is a delicious, healthy dinner recipe.
Love Greek chicken recipes? Try our Greek Sheet Pan Chicken!
Ingredients needed
- Chicken breasts. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used. This recipe also works well with pork.
- Extra-virgin Olive oil. Avocado or vegetable oil also works.
- Fresh lemon juice. Lime juice or red wine vinegar can also be substituted.
- Fresh garlic.
- Herbs: I used dried oregano and fresh rosemary. Other herbs like parsley, thyme and chives are also delicious but less traditional in Greek cuisine.
- Sweet Paprika. Not entirely traditional in Greek cooking but I love the color it gives the marinade. Smoked paprika can be substituted.
- Salt and pepper.
- Red onion. (optional) Other vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers and zucchini can also be added to the Greek chicken kabobs.
How To Make Grilled Chicken Skewers
- Marinate the chicken: Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces (approximately 5cm/2in) and place in a large bowl. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, rosemary, chopped garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well. Pour over the chicken, toss to coat the chicken in the marinade then cover and marinade for at least 20 minutes but up to 24 hours.
- Skewer and grill: Soak bamboo/wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes or alternatively use metal skewers. Thread chicken and chunks of red onion onto skewers. Other veggies like zucchini or bell peppers can be added too. Heat your grill/braai/barbecue or a grill pan on the stove. Because the chicken cooks relatively quickly high heat works well for this recipe. Add the skewers to the grill grates and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through but still tender, 8-10 minutes in total. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Can I make this in the oven?
Yes, you can. Preheat the broiler (also called a grill or top element) of your oven on its highest setting. Place the skewers on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the chicken, turning every 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (approximately 10 minutes). You could also cook these skewers in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 400°F/200°C.
Can I make this ahead?
The chicken can be marinated up to a day in advance. Skewers can be assembled and kept in an airtight container in the fridge up to a day in advance. Any leftovers will last for 2-3 days in the fridge. The assembled, uncooked skewers can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and thaw completely before cooking.
What To Serve With Chicken Skewers
These Greek grilled skewers are delicious served with vegetables like corn on the cob or a Greek salad made with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives and feta cheese or a simple cucumber and tomato salad. Other great side dishes include asparagus, couscous salad, potato salad, flatbread or pita bread or Greek lemon potatoes. We also love adding a sauce like tzatziki, baba ganoush or hummus.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2lbs) chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped/crushed
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp rosemary finely chopped
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For the skewers
- 1 red onion sliced into 2cm/1in chunks
Instructions
- Slice the chicken into bite-sized chunks, approximately 5cm/2in in size.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together and pour over the chicken.
- Toss to coat the chicken in the marinade then cover and marinade for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Soak bamboo skewers in hot water for 30 minutes or alternatively use metal skewers.
- Thread marinated chicken and red onion onto skewers then brush with the remaining marinade.
- Cook on a hot grill or in a griddle pan on the stove for 2-3 minutes per side until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, approximately 10 minutes in total.
- Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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Nutrition
Chicken skewer recipes
I used this in my bar for an evening event and the comments were exceptional thank you, it will be used as a regular item. I paired it with a couscous and chickpea salad and the reviews i got were its the best meal i’ve prepared yet, we have only been holding theses night for three months, so i am constantly trying new things.
Would it be ok to add a bit of greek yoghurt to the dressing? Would I need to adjust eg the amount of lemon? Thanks
You could, As all yogurts are different in terms of acidity I would taste the marinade before adding the chicken and then adjust the lemon from there.
I made these but marinated the chicken for a whole night before and then grilled them with marinated veggies that I marinated for only a couple hours so they didn’t get mushy for 4th of July bbq. Adults AND kids destroyed them. They loved it so muxh!!!!! I will be keeping this recipe forever!
So glad I came across your recipe. Made these in the oven last night (after marinating chicken for 24 hours) and they turned out so so juicy and full of flavour! And so easy to make. I just subbed the onions for green and yellow peppers (because I didn’t feel like cutting an onion heh). Thank you for this recipe!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that.
Can I cook and reheat on the day off? How do I keep them from drying out when I reheat?
You could but they definitely stand a chance of drying out so keep the reheating to a minimum. Alternatively, marinate and assemble the skewers a few days ahead and cook the day of serving.
Better than skewers I have jad in a greek restaurant. I us chicken thighs and add onion salt. If the pantry allows a couple of sage leaves (also the lemon rind)
Thank you for sharing
I just tried this recipe and I loved it. Delicious!
Fabulous easy, tasty recipe, our new favourite! Great paired with flatbreads which are also incredibly easy to make. I’ve frozen some, hopefully they’ll be as good as making them fresh.
What a delicious, quick, easy, and healthy recipe! Definitely will be part of my recipe rotation. Pairs great with rice 🙂