Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

Ingredients

• 700 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 red onion, cut into chunks
• 1 red pepper, cut into squares
• 200 g Greek yoghurt, to serve
• 4 pitta breads, warmed

Method

1. Marinate

   Mix the oil, lemon zest, garlic and oregano with plenty of salt and coat the chicken. Hold the lemon juice back for now — left on raw meat for hours the acid turns the surface pale and mealy.

   30 min

2. Soak wooden skewers

   If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes. Dry wood catches light under a grill and snaps when you turn it.

   20 min

3. Thread

   Alternate chicken with onion and pepper, pushing the pieces snug but not squashed. Packed too tight the sides never brown; too loose and the chicken dries out.

4. Grill hard

   Cook on a hot grill or griddle, turning every few minutes, until charred in patches and cooked through — about 12 minutes. Thigh meat forgives a couple of extra minutes in a way breast never does.

   12 min

5. Finish and serve

   Squeeze the reserved lemon juice over the hot skewers so it hisses, and serve with yoghurt and warm pitta.