Wild Thistle Kitchen: Lemon and Herb Grilled Chicken Skewers

These lemon and herb grilled chicken skewers are a delicious taste of summertime. Is there anything better than summertime grilling? It is such a classic, nostalgic way to spend a summer evening, or even a summer day.

My dad grilled all the time. I can see him with a cool beverage in hand — Coors can when I was younger, wine or bourbon in his later years — standing next to his classic Weber grill filled with charcoal briquettes, often with lighter fluid, as was the way back then. (The lighter fluid tradition is one I have not carried on. Sorry, Dad!)

I always loved watching and learning his process. From lighting the briquettes to waiting for them to get ashy and gray before he spread them and placed the grate on top. It was all very ceremonious and kind of magical to me when I was young.

I’m a big fan of grilling on both gas and charcoal. I appreciate the convenience and quickness of gas, but I do love the nostalgic process and the flavor of charcoal grilling. These chicken skewers will be perfect on any type of grill — and even on a grill pan if you want to stay inside and still enjoy those grill marks. And, of course, they will be fine on a flat top griddle or a large skillet as well.

The fresh oregano, dill and lemon in the marinade really give these skewers strong Greek/Mediterranean vibes. So I like to drive that flavor profile all the way home with a platter full of feta, fresh veggies, hummus, olives, etc. It is such a satisfying yet healthy meal. And I mean it when I say we eat a variation of this meal all summer long, and even in the colder months.

Because of the lemon juice in the marinade and how thinly the chicken is sliced, these do not need a long marination time. I like to make the marinade right in the bowl I’ll add the chicken to. Then I thinly slice the chicken into ribbons and add it straight to the bowl. A quick hand wash, and I get the grill going while the chicken marinates for about 20 minutes. (I let it sit out at room temp, but if you’re concerned feel free to stash it in the fridge for those 20 minutes.)

What to serve with these grilled chicken skewers?

Here is a list of my favorite accompaniments:

• flat bread, naan, pita
• hummus
• yogurt sauce
• feta
• tomatoes
• cucumber salad
• fresh herbs
• grilled lemons
• grilled veggies/peppers
• olives

And don’t forget something cool to sip on. A crisp white or rosé wine is my preference. Of course, you can’t go wrong with some ice-cold beers.

I hope you enjoy this meal. Happy grilling!

xo — Anita

Lemon and Herb Grilled Chicken Skewers

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the cucumber salad:

1 shallot or ½ red onion, thinly sliced

Juice of one lemon

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

About a teaspoon each of chopped fresh parsley and dill

For the feta and herb yogurt sauce:

2 cups plain, full-fat Greek yogurt

1 finely minced garlic clove

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped dill

Zest and juice of one lemon

Pinch of salt and pepper

For the chicken:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into long, thin strips (about 4 or 5 half chicken breasts)

½ cup olive oil

4 or 5 minced garlic cloves

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Zest and juice of 2 lemons (zest before you juice!)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Photo by Anita Parris Soule. Courtesy Wild Thistle Kitchen.

Instructions

First, make the cucumber salad and the yogurt sauce. For each, simply combine the ingredients in a bowl, mix to combine well, then cover and stash in the fridge while you move on with the chicken.

Make the chicken skewers as follows: Mix all marinade ingredients (everything except the chicken) in a large bowl. Add chicken strips to bowl and coat completely with marinade. Thread chicken strips onto metal skewers. I use 12-inch metal skewers and usually get 8 full skewers with this amount.

Grill over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until you get nice grill marks all around and chicken is cooked through. This should take about 20 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes, add lemon halves, cut-side down, to grill. Squeeze juice over chicken when serving.

Serve with any or all of the following or simply serve with rice and a big salad.

• flat bread, naan, pita
• hummus
• yogurt sauce
• feta
• tomatoes
• cucumber salad
• fresh herbs
• grilled lemons
• grilled veggies/peppers
• olives

tagsAnita Parris Soulechicken skewerscucumber saladGreek-Mediterranean recipesgrillingmarinadeWild Thistle Kitchenyogurt sauce