Light Lemon Herb Chicken Skewers (Printable)

Tender lemon-marinated chicken skewers grilled to perfection and paired with refreshing homemade tzatziki sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Skewers

01 - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes - 1.3 pounds
02 - Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
03 - Lemon zest and juice - 1 large lemon
04 - Garlic cloves, minced - 2
05 - Fresh parsley, chopped - 1 tablespoon
06 - Fresh oregano, chopped - 1 tablespoon (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
07 - Salt - 1 teaspoon
08 - Freshly ground black pepper - ½ teaspoon
09 - Smoked paprika - ½ teaspoon
10 - Wooden or metal skewers - 8

→ Tzatziki Sauce

11 - Greek yogurt (2% or nonfat) - 1 cup
12 - Cucumber, grated with excess liquid squeezed out - ½
13 - Garlic clove, finely minced - 1
14 - Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tablespoon
15 - Fresh dill, chopped - 1 tablespoon (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
16 - Lemon juice - ½ lemon
17 - Salt - ½ teaspoon
18 - Black pepper - ¼ teaspoon

→ For Serving

19 - Lemon wedges - as needed
20 - Fresh parsley or dill, chopped - as needed

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Add chicken cubes and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for optimal flavor development.
02 - While chicken marinates, combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber with excess liquid squeezed out, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined and refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for 20 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.
04 - Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator and thread pieces evenly onto skewers, dividing equally among all 8 skewers.
05 - Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
06 - Place skewers on preheated grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, turning once, until chicken is cooked through with light char marks.
07 - Remove skewers from grill and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Serve hot with chilled tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges, and fresh herb garnish.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The marinade transforms simple chicken into something so juicy and flavorful you won't believe how fast it disappears.
  • Tzatziki from scratch tastes nothing like store-bought, and once you taste the real thing, you'll never go back.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, but feels like you've been cooking all day in the best way.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking wooden skewers; I learned this the hard way when I watched them go up in flames and my chicken cooked in smoke instead of heat.
  • Squeeze that cucumber as dry as humanly possible in your tzatziki, or the sauce will weep liquid and taste thin and disappointing.
  • Pull the skewers off the grill the moment the chicken looks cooked through; even 2 minutes of carryover cooking matters here, and overcooked chicken is impossible to come back from.
03 -
  • If you want extra heat, add a pinch of chili flakes to the marinade; it plays beautifully with the lemon without overpowering it.
  • Chicken thighs work here too and actually stay juicier, though they take a minute or two longer to cook through.
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