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Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs with Simple Tzatziki Sauce

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 31 minutes

Ingredients

Tzatziki Sauce:

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 English cucumber, shredded
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Marinade:

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried coriander
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Chicken and Vegetables:

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 small to medium zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 1-2 red peppers, cut into squares
  • 1 red onion, cut into squares

Instructions 

  • For the tzatziki sauce, wrap the shredded cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
  • For the marinade, in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients.
  • Place the chicken in a resealable gallon-size ziploc bag (or in a shallow dish) and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag (or cover the dish) and let marinade for 1-2 hours.
  • If using wooden skewers, soak them for 15-20 minutes prior to assembling.
  • Thread the chicken, zucchini, peppers and onion onto skewers. Give the kebabs a little sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Grill over medium to medium-high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Notes

Chicken + Vegetables: assembling the kebabs the way pictured in the post will yield tender chicken and crisp-tender (read: slightly crunchy) veggies, which I like. If you want the vegetables more tender, they'll need to cook longer but in order not to overcook the chicken, consider skewering the veggies on their own sticks to cook separately from the chicken.
Tzatziki Sauce: keep in mind the tzatziki sauce does better if made ahead of time and refrigerated at least 30 minutes (or up to 1-2 days). If you don't have Greek yogurt, regular, plain yogurt can be used - but it needs to be strained through cheesecloth or a coffee filter for several hours to get rid of excess moisture so it is really thick and creamy.