Souvlaki: Chicken Shish Kebab - a recipe for brined and marinated chicken on pita bread, topped with a salad and tzatziki sauce.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Inactive Time 16 hourshours30 minutesminutes
Total Time 17 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Calories
Author Deborah Harroun
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
1poundbonelessskinless chicken breasts
1quartcold water
1/4cupkosher salt
1/4cupgranulated sugar
1cupdistilled white vinegar
1cupextra-virgin olive oil
3clovesgarlicminced
3-4sprigs of thyme
1fresh bay leaf or 2 dried leaves
2sprigs rosemary
2shallotssliced
salt and pepper
Greek Salad: (this is the full recipe - you will only need 1/4 for the souvlaki)
1large Spanish or sweet onionthickly sliced
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1large head iceberg lettucethinly sliced
1 1/2poundwhole trimmed bulbs of fennelsliced crosswise paper-thin
4small fire-roasted bell pepperscut into thin strips
24grape or cherry tomatoeshalved
3/4poundEnglish cucumberpeeled, halved, seeds scooped out, and thickly sliced
8whole scallionsthinly sliced
1red onionsliced paper thin
1/2cupsmallpicked sprigs of dill, roughly chopped
1/2cupsmall sprigs parsleyroughly chopped
1tablespoondry Greek oregano
about 50 mixed green and black olivesbrined and/or oil-cured, pitted and halved
16whole caperberries
Ladolemono: (Makes about 3/4 cup. You will only need 1/2 cup of it)
1/4cupfresh lemon juice
1tablespoonDijon mustard
1tablespoondry Greek oregano
salt and pepper
1/2cupextra-virgin olive oil
Tzatziki: (makes 1 quart - you will only need 2/3 cup)
1English cucumberpeeled
10clovesgarlicminced
1cupdistilled white vinegar
4shallotsthickly sliced
1cupsmallpicked sprigs of dill
2 1/2cupsGreek yogurt or labne spread
2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
For serving:
4rounds pita bread
Instructions
In a plastic or ceramic bowl or crock, stir the 1 quart water, 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 cup vinegar together until the salt and sugar have dissolved (this will take a few minutes). Cut the chicken into large chunks. Immerse in the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the meat from the brine and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with a towel. In a deep baking dish or roasting pan, combine the marinade ingredients - the olive oil, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, shallots, and a little salt and pepper. Thread the pieces of meat onto 4 wooden skewers and immerse the skewers in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic right down onto the meat to exclude any air. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours; overnight is even better, though not essential.
Remove the skewers from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes while you preheat a charcoal or gas grill, or ridged cast-iron grill pan, until hot.
Prepare the Greek salad: rush the onion slices with a little olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. On a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet, grill the onions until tender. Separate into rings.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining salad ingredients.
Make the Ladolemono: In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, mustard, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a generous grinding of pepper. Whisk to blend the mixture completely and, whisking all the time, drizzle in the olive oil. This sauce will separate; whisk or shake in a jar before using.
Make the Tzatziki: Quarter the cucumber lengthwise and trim off the triangular wedge of seeds. Cut the cucumber into very small, even dice. Transfer to a mixing bowl. In a food processor, combine the garlic, vinegar, shallots, and dill. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Add the mixture to the cucumbers; add the yogurt. Fold together with a rubber spatula, adding the olive oil and lemon juice. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper, starting off with 1 tablespoon salt. Taste for seasoning. (You can store Tzatziki in a covered, clean jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
Season the Souvlaki lightly with salt and pepper and grill until firm and char-marked on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a resting platter and dress with Ladolemono.
Paint the pita with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill until firm and char-marked on all sides. Smear some Tzatziki in the center of each pita round. Push the meat off the skewer on top of the tzatziki. Top with some of the Greek Salad. Pull the sides of the pita up to meet in the center, like a taco. Serve like a hand roll, or wrap and secure with a wide strip of parchment.