Easy and Delicious Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

As the weather continues to warm and the days stretch longer, the grill is getting more and more use. We've been firing up the grill often. The outdoor furniture has returned to the deck, washed and ready for a new season of outdoor dining, afternoon snacks, conversations around the table and morning devotions with coffee. My hands have been dirty in the garden all week and games of backyard corn hole have been played as the sun fades away. I am here for all of it! One of my favorite flavors/cuisines is Greek! I love all the fresh veggies, warm pita, hummus, tzatziki, and savory meats.

Oh my friends! We made a Greek feast this week and you all need to add it to your week night menu! It did not disappoint and there were hardly any leftovers because seconds and even thirds were had! Let's go through this and be inspired!

Before you begin the marinade, you must start with preparing and salting your meat. For this recipe I used chicken breast, but thighs are actually my preferred. I love the extra flavor and tenderness of the darker meat. Cut your meat into one to two inch pieces and generously salt your meat at least one hour before you pour the marinade over top.

Gather up your ingredients for this marinade: lemons, garlic, shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, basil, thyme, dill, salt and black pepper. Juice your lemons, mince your garlic and chop your shallot. Throw all of these into a bowl along with your olive oil, vinegar and herbs. Whisk together until well combined. When your meat is ready, place your salted, cut-up chicken in a gallon sized zip lock bag and pour the marinade over the top. Massage the bag around to make sure the chicken is well coated and then pop in the fridge. Ideally you want this to marinate for four hours or more. If you are absolutely pressed for time (i.e. you did not plan your time right) thirty minutes will be fine, but... longer is SO much better!

IMPORTANT: while your chicken is marinating, you must prepare your skewers, if using wood. Grab your wood skewers and submerge in water. I just use a big zip lock bag, but you can also place in a baker to soak. Let them soak for as long as you marinate. The water truly needs to permeate the wood all the way through, otherwise your skewers will literally catch on fire as they grill!

Ok, now to skewer the meat. I will not insult your intelligence here and just assume you can handle this task. My one note would be to leave about two inches of the end of the skewer open to be able to handle, both on the grill and when you are eating. Pour any remaining marinade over the top of your prepared chicken and bring it to the grill.

What kind of grill are you using? If you are using a gas grill, I just need a minute to move on. I am in the camp that charcoal is the only way to grill as it gives a far superior flavor and charr that you just cannot get with a gas grill. Drama over. Cook your meat to perfection.

What really takes this meal to the next level is what you pair it all with. You need to also make these greek fries and slice up some fresh veggies like cucumber, bell pepper, lettuce and tomatoes. Serve it all up with hummus, tzatziki, feta crumbles and pita warmed on the grill. Oh, and these pickled red onions are totally scrummy.

Now call everyone to the table while it's hot and build your plate. And then a second plate, and possibly a third? At least polish off the greek fries. Anything I am missing here? What else would you add?

Full marinade recipe here.