Late summer is a fabulous time to cook. So many vegetables and fruits are in season and the flavors are amazing. I love making big salads that use all of the gorgeous summer tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, berries and peaches. Although salad might be enough for me my family loves a little protein. So these greek inspired lemon chicken skewers are one of my summertime favorites.
Skewers or kebabs are a great way to cook chicken on the grill because they cook quickly and evenly. The lemon garlic marinade is a fast way to add flavor. These skewers have become a favorite in our house. Serve them with a large side salad like my Chopped Greek Salad and add some hummus with good pita bread or naan and you have a quick and delicious dinner.
Greek Chicken Skewers – Serves 4
- 1 1/3 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large chicken breasts)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon)
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
First get your grilled prepared and ready to cook the chicken on direct medium high heat
Then prepare your chicken by cutting it into one inch pieces. A quick tip, if your chicken breasts are large then I like to cut mine in half horizontally and then cut them into pieces.
Next make your marinade. In a medium sized bowl whisk together your lemon juice, zest, garlic, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. Then place your chicken and the marinade in a large gallon sized ziplock bag. Let your chicken marinade in your fridge for at least 10 to 15 minutes. You can let them marinade a bit longer, but I wouldn’t let it sit longer than an hour because of the acidity from the lemon juice.
Next thread your chicken onto your skewers. you can use metal or wooden skewers, but if you are using wooden skewers let them soak in some water while you are marinating your chicken. It will keep the wood from getting charred on the grill.
Then grill your chicken for 4 to 5 minute on one side and then flip them and cook them for an additional 4 to 5 minutes on the other side until they are cooked through. If you don’t have an outdoor grill you could also use an indoor grilling pan.
These Greek chicken skewers are an easy and healthy dinner that are perfect for those summer nights when you want to eat well but not spend all of your time in the kitchen. Hope you enjoy this summer grilling favorite.
