Description
Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers marinated with aromatic herbs and spices, grilled to perfection, and served with a refreshing homemade Tzatziki sauce made from Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon, and fresh dill. This dish offers a flavorful, light, and healthy Mediterranean meal ideal for gatherings or a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
For the Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup shredded English cucumber (or diced)
- 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt (non-fat, 2%, or whole)
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic (or 1 teaspoon for extra garlicky flavor)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a bowl, combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper to create a flavorful marinade.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken cubes to the marinade and toss well to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight to enhance flavor absorption.
- Preheat the Grill or Broiler: Preheat your grill or oven broiler to prepare for cooking the skewers.
- Skewer and Cook the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers. Grill or broil for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has a slight char on the edges.
- Prepare the Cucumber: Place the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh strainer or clean towel and squeeze out excess liquid to avoid watery sauce.
- Make the Tzatziki Sauce: In a bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, chopped fresh dill, grated garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Combine Cucumber and Yogurt Mix: Fold the drained cucumber into the yogurt mixture until well combined. Chill the sauce in the refrigerator until ready to serve alongside the chicken skewers.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight allows for deeper flavor penetration and more tender meat.
- Using a fine mesh strainer or towel to drain the cucumber helps prevent the Tzatziki sauce from becoming watery.
- For extra flavor, parsley can be fresh instead of dried if preferred.
- Chicken breasts can be substituted with boneless thigh meat for juicier skewers.
- Serve the skewers hot with chilled Tzatziki sauce for the best contrast and taste.
