The warm summer weather means we are cooking as many dinners as possible outside on the grill. This keeps us from using the stove inside so the house stays nice and cool; plus it’s so nice to spend the evening outside grilling after a long day in the office! I absolutely love dinners on the grill and it’s so much fun to come up with new and different grilling ideas, because who wants to have the same grilled chicken over and over again?! One of my grilling favorites has always been kabobs; I love combining all the different ingredients together on the skewers and ending up with such an array of flavors and foods to eat, not to mention I just love how great and colorful they look — the presentation is so visually appetizing! This week I decided to put a Greek spin on our kabobs and made these amazing Greek chicken and veggie kabobs served with some homemade Tzatziki sauce and rice.
I think one of my favorite cuisines is Mediterranean. I love all of the herbs and spices used as well as the incorporation of lemon juice and olive oils into almost every dish. That is what inspired these kabobs… plus I reallllly love Tzatzizki sauce and will find any excuse to make something that should be served with it! Tzatziki sauce is a traditional Greek sauce that is served with grilled meats or as a dip. It is made with yogurt (traditionally sheep or goat milk, but today Greek yogurt is very common) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, sometimes lemon juice, and dill, mint, or parsley. The recipe I have here is for a very simple and basic method of making Tzatziki, because I wanted to make a quick simple dinner. Some recipes will have you strain the yogurt, salt and strain the cucumbers, and other things, but I honestly think the end results are all pretty similar.
To make the Greek chicken for the kabobs, you begin by making the marinade using some traditional Greek ingredients like lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and thyme. I also threw in some cayenne because I love having some heat and I pretty much always add it to whatever I make! The chicken marinates for about 30 minutes to two hours (no longer because the acid in the marinade will start breaking down the chicken). After that you thread your kabobs with chicken, zucchini, peppers, and onions and then grill! So simple! I served the kabobs with the Tzatziki sauce as well as some white rice that I combined with a little bit of lemon juice, parsley, and feta which was really good. This recipe made a little more than two servings, which was just perfect because I got to have the amazing leftovers for lunch, which kept me motivated at work all day! So next time you’re grilling and want to switch up your menu, definitely try out these Greek inspired kabobs…your taste buds will be thanking you!
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- 1 large bell pepper (any color), cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 zucchini (any color), cut into thin rounds
- 1/2 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 english cucumber, seeded and finely diced (or blended up in a food processor depending on preference)
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- In a bowl combine the cubed chicken with 1/8 cup olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, if you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes so they do not catch fire or burn when grilling.
- Toss the peppers, zucchini, and onions with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- When the chicken is done marinating, preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Prepare the skewers: alternate threading on the chicken and veggies on the skewers. When ready, place the skewers on the grill and grill for about 10 minutes (more or less depending on the size of your chicken cubes), rotating halfway.
- Serve with Tzatziki sauce (see preparation below).
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
