What to serve with greek chicken kabobs

Greek Chicken Souvlaki grilled to perfection and served with delicious Lemon Rice. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner and is going to be loved by even your pickiest eaters.

You guys, we have fallen in love with this Greek Chicken Souvlaki and Lemon Rice. I think I’ve probably made it three times over the last couple weeks and we have devoured it every single time.

The chicken is flavorful, tender and juicy and amazing on it’s own. Try wrapping a piece or two of it in some warm buttery, garlic pita bread. . . holy moly it’s absolutely scrumptious!

This is such a simple meal to make and I actually love that it has to be made ahead of time so it can marinate. I will get it ready first thing in the morning and then let the chicken marinate all day. I soak my wooden skewers for about 30-45 minutes before I’m ready to grill the chicken.

The lemon rice is a must make to go along with this chicken.  It just has a hint of lemon, it’s not overpowering at all. If you want a stronger lemon flavor you could add more lemon zest.

I’ve made this using both long grain rice and converted long grain rice (Uncle Ben’s brand). The picture on the left is the converted rice, the picture on the right is regular, long grain rice. The flavor is the same, they just cook up a little differently. The converted rice makes fluffier, separated grains of cooked rice. They’re both delicious so use what you have on hand.

With the weather finally starting to get warmer, it’s definitely time for you to pull out your grill. This chicken souvlaki should be one of the first things you grill up.

WHAT IS CHICKEN SOUVLAKI?

Chicken souvlaki is a Greek dish that’s made with marinated pieces of chicken grilled on a skewer. It’s often served with pita bread.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN SOUVLAKI?

1. This recipe starts with boneless skinless chicken breasts. The chicken is cut into chunks and marinated in garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and herbs. I like to let it marinade at least 3 to 4 hours, but usually do it longer than that.
2. After the chicken marinates, the chicken pieces are threaded onto skewers and grilled.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SOUVLAKI:

• Lemon rice.  In my opinion, this is a must serve with souvlaki.
• Warm pita bread. The buttery garlic mixture brushed on top is amazing!
• A simple side salad greek style. I throw in cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onions and some Feta cheese tossed with
• Seasoned red potatoes would also be delicious served with this chicken souvlaki.

Print

Marinade:

• 5 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Greek Lemon Rice:

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Buttery Garlic Pita Bread:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• Extra kosher salt (optional)
• Pita bread (store bought is great)

Chicken:

1. Trim chicken and cut into large chunks. Place chicken pieces in a large Ziploc bag. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt. Pour over chicken pieces and seal bag. Shake gently so all pieces of meat are well-coated with marinade. Put into refrigerator and marinate at least 4 to 6 hours (or even longer).
3. Remove chicken from refrigerator and thread chicken onto skewers (I do about 5 to 6 pieces per skewer).
4. Spray grill with non-stick spray then preheat gas or charcoal barbecue grill to medium heat.
5. Grill skewers about 5 to 6 minutes per side. If you like to use a meat thermometer, the temp should register 160 degrees.
6. Transfer chicken to serving platter and cover with foil let rest for about 3 minutes.

Lemon Rice:

1. In a medium saucepan combine the rice, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth, water and salt. Bring the rice to a boil over high heat then reduce to simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with more salt, to taste if needed.

Pita Bread:

1. In a small saucepan combine butter, garlic powder, salt and dried parsley. Heat and stir over low heat until butter is melted.
2. Warm up the pita bread two at a time in your microwave for about 20-25 seconds.
3. Brush butter mixture on warm pita bread and sprinkle lightly with a little more kosher salt, if desired.
4. Use a pizza cutter to cut into four triangles. Serve immediately.

Notes

• If you’re using wooden skewers, place them in water to let them soak before grilling (I usually do about 30 minutes). This will help them not burn while grilling them.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes plus marinating time
• Cook Time: 12 mins
• Category: Main Dishes

Recipe Source: 5 Boys Baker