Whether you're grilling in the backyard or cooking over a campfire, one the easiest (and most satisfying) meals you can prepare are skewers. For this recipe, we marinated chicken thighs in olive oil, lemon juice and salt to get a bright Mediterranean flavor. It's a relatively quick marinade that only needs 30 minutes, so it can be done day-of onsite.
While the meat marinates, we put together our tzatziki sauce. It's just a combination of Greek yogurt with minced mint, garlic and cucumber. Add in some lemon juice and salt, and it's done.
For the skewers, we chopped up some veggies that grill nicely, like red onions, cherry tomatoes and zucchini. The biggest tip we can give about skewering is to group like ingredients together on the same stick. It might look prettier to alternate every other one, but each ingredient has a different cook time. So put the all zucchini together and all the tomatoes together. That way each fully cooks, and you can take them off one by one.
This recipe makes a for a killer appetizer on its own. However, if you're yearning for a more filling meal, you can make some rice pilaf as a side. Is your mouth watering yet? Give this recipe a try.
Chicken Tzatziki Skewers
Yield: 2 servings if served alone, 3-4 servings if made with a side
Skewer Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4" moons
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 14 cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup prepared tzatziki, store-bought or recipe as follows
Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cucumber, seeds removed & chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Step 1
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate, tossing occasionally.
Step 2
Prepare a grill or campfire.
Step 3
Thread the chicken and vegetables onto skewers. Once the grill or campfire is ready, place the skewers on the grill grate, turning every few minutes so all sides cook evenly. The chicken will need to cook 3-5 minutes per side, and the veggies will need roughly 10-12 minutes.
Step 4
While the chicken and vegetables cook, begin making the tzatziki sauce (if not prepared ahead of time). Start by removing the excess moisture from the chopped cucumber (you can do this by blotting it with a towel). Next, place the cucumber, Greek yogurt, mint, garlic and salt in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Step 5
Once your tzatziki sauce is done and your meat and veggies are cooked, remove the skewers from the grill. Serve them with your sauce.
