Chicken Souvlaki

WA_ChickenSouvlaki

One of my favorite vacations was a trip I took to Greece. I spent a few days of cruising the islands then settled into Santorini with a spectacular view. It was an absolutely beautiful setting and a fantastic trip except for the fact that I could eat very little. My stomach could not handle the food! However, I did come to love chicken souvlaki and after many failed efforts I have mastered a simple marinade that I really enjoy. Generally, I like to serve this with rice, greek salad (check out my earlier post) and Tzatziki (cucumber yogurt dip) and I find them to be a perfect compliment. Keep in mind, if you like a stronger flavor you can always substitute the red wine vinegar for the Balsamic and it will have a more powerful presence.

INGREDIENTS:

Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (approximately one per person)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbs minced garlic (we love garlic and I often add 1 1/2 tbsp)
3 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt

PREPARATION:

Mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade.

Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch cubes, trying to keep them relatively close in size. Place into a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over the chicken making sure to coat each piece. Let stand for 1 hour stirring it every 15 to 30 minutes.

Pre-soak wooden (bamboo) skewers in salt water for 30 minutes then lay on a paper towel to dry. This will prevent the skewers from flaming up on the barbecue.

Place the chicken pieces on the skewers and be careful not to bunch them up too tight.