Recipe Background
Acropolis Souvlaki: Tender chicken skewers completed moving day triumph.
The first time I made Acropolis Souvlaki, it was a spontaneous dinner after my last moving day. I still remember the mountains of boxes and the soft glow of an unshaded lamp on a kitchen counter barely visible beneath chaos. Eager to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter, I wanted something that felt vibrant and alive, so I checked the fridge. There it was: chicken breasts waiting like an unwrapped present. A lemon, rescued from a grocery bag that had yet to be unpacked, rolled out with promise, and that was the seed of an idea.
In the absence of a proper bowl, a plastic bag offered salvation. I tossed in fragrant olive oil, crushed garlic, and a hefty amount of oregano dug from the depths of my spice box. Zipping the bag, I marinated the chicken, letting it soak overnight as thoughts of what the new space could be danced around me like aromatic companions. When morning rolled into evening, I skewered the marinated pieces, fired up a grill I'd never used, and relished each smoky taste with neighbors who'd come to welcome me, olives and tzatziki in hand.
Here's a tip to keep those flames from searing too strongly: soak wooden skewers in water. It ensures a simple dinner creates memories, rather than smoke. This souvlaki turned moving mayhem into a memory, connecting me to new faces over every intense bite.
Ingredients
For the skewers:
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces, can substitute chicken tenders or thighs
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon juiced
- 6 cloves garlic crushed slightly
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional, for serving:
- tzatziki to taste, store-bought or homemade
- tomatoes to taste, sliced
- cucumbers to taste, sliced
- olives to taste
Directions
- In a resealable plastic bag, add the chicken pieces.
- In a bowl, add the olive oil, the lemon juice, the garlic, the oregano, the salt, and the pepper and stir to combine.
- Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken pieces in the bag.
- Gently squeeze out as much of the air as possible from the bag, then seal the bag.
- Massage the bag to coat all of the chicken pieces in the marinade.
- Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Evenly skewer the marinaded chicken pieces on to metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken skewers, turning them occasionally, until the chicken pieces reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the skewers to a serving plate and let them rest for 3 minutes.
- Serve with the tzatziki, the tomatoes, the cucumbers, and the olives.
×