Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers (Printable)
Juicy grilled chicken on skewers with zesty lemon marinade and cool cucumber yogurt sauce
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken Skewers
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 3 tbsp olive oil
03 - Juice and zest of 2 lemons
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
06 - 1 tsp dried thyme
07 - 1 tsp salt
08 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional, for skewering)
10 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional, for skewering)
11 - Lemon wedges, for serving
→ For the Tzatziki Sauce
12 - 1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat preferred)
13 - ½ large cucumber, grated and excess water squeezed out
14 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
15 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
16 - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
17 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
18 - ½ tsp salt
19 - ¼ tsp black pepper
# Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add chicken cubes and mix to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours for best flavor).
02 - If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning.
03 - Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, alternating with red onion and bell pepper pieces if using.
04 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
05 - Grill the skewers for 12–15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until chicken is cooked through and lightly charred.
06 - In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill until ready to serve.
07 - Serve chicken skewers hot, garnished with lemon wedges and a generous side of tzatziki sauce.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The marinade does double duty keeping chicken impossibly tender while building layers of bright citrusy flavor
- Tzatziki comes together in minutes but tastes like you spent hours getting it just right
02 -
- Squeeze every drop of water from the grated cucumber or your tzatziki will turn watery within an hour
- Letting chicken come to room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling helps it cook evenly
03 -
- Pat chicken dry before adding to marinade so the coating actually sticks
- Let skewers rest for 5 minutes after grilling to keep juices inside the meat