A Greek delicacy made easy and convenient, this air fryer chicken souvlaki recipe is your shortcut to a winsome, mouthwatering meal. Air-fried marinated succulent pieces of chicken breast are served on a skewer, alongside a herby, creamy dip. Bursting with fresh yet savory flavors, they're a perfect fit for any meal—whether we're talking sunny outdoor parties or casual weeknight dinners.
What Is Souvlaki Chicken?
Souvlaki chicken, also known as Greek Souvlaki, is a Greek street food that’s widely available throughout Mediterranean countries. In Greek, “souvlaki” means meat on skewers, suggesting that this dish can be eaten as a grab-and-go grilled snack, just like a kabob.
Traditionally, souvlaki can be made with either pork, chicken, beef, or lamb, and is usually wrapped in pita bread with drizzles of tzatziki sauce on top. With this recipe, we're going to wrap everything up in the air fryer so you'll have more hands-free time to get your side dishes done while everything cooks.
Is Our Air Fryer Chicken Souvlaki Healthy?
Yes, it is. Here’s why:
- It’s protein-rich: Using skinless boneless chicken thighs, these meat skewers provide 37.9 grams of protein per serving.
- It's low-carb: Served with a side of air-fried cherry tomatoes and potatoes, our chicken souvlaki promises a wholesome meal with a healthy source of complex carbs.
One serving of this chicken souvlaki provides only 469 calories, leaving enough room for an extra side dish to keep you full and satisfied. We also use reasonable amounts of olive oil, unsalted butter, and Greek yogurt to ensure the flavor of the dish without loading on the saturated fat. Thanks to the air-fryer, we managed to keep the amounts of oil to a minimum while still achieving that perfect “grilled" meat goodness.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Skinless boneless chicken thighs
We highly recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs for souvlaki since they’re relatively juicy and don't dry out easily. That being said, if you prefer something leaner, boneless chicken breasts can still work just fine for this dish.
- Vegetables
Besides the appetizing chicken skewers, we also serve up portions of cherry tomatoes and potatoes. They're made in the air fryer too, lending the dish diverse textures and extra fiber.
- Dipping sauce
The tzatziki sauce is the authentic choice as a dipping sauce for souvlaki. In this recipe, it's a simple mix of olive oil, cucumber, minced garlic, Greek yogurt, and chopped mint leaves.
The tasty yogurt-cucumber base adds a tumultuous mix of tangy, earthy, and fresh notes while garlic and mint finish it off with a pleasant fragrance kick. This flavorful dipping sauce works perfectly to balance the richness of the air-fried meat skewers.
- Souvlaki Marinade
Our souvlaki marinade calls for a spice mix of pepper, salt, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, oregano, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. The bite-sized chicken pieces are coated in this marinade to infuse rich flavors into the meat skewers.
Typically, the chicken will get the fullest flavors from a few hours of marinade. If you're short on time, a 5-minute marination is enough to flavor the chicken. While it's marinating, you can soak the wooden skewers in water to prevent them from burning in the air fryer.
Storage and Reheating
Chicken souvlaki is best enjoyed immediately or within the same day of cooking. That being said, you can still store the leftovers in an airtight container and they can last for up to 3 days in the fridge. Transfer them to the freezer and they can last for up to 2 months.
When reheating, first, thaw the leftover portions overnight (if they were frozen previously). Heat them in the air fryer or simply pop them in the microwave until warmed through.
What to Serve With
Chicken souvlaki is usually dipped into the tzatziki sauce and eaten right from the skewers. You can also unthread the chicken pieces and add them to pita bread wraps with your fixings of choice. Serve it with a delicious, fresh side of salad for a well-rounded, balanced meal.
And if you’ve still got the craving for Greek food? Put our Greek Chicken Salad Recipe and Air Fryer Greek Chicken Recipe on the menu next!
Air Fryer Chicken Souvlaki Recipe
Once you try this air fryer chicken souvlaki, you're gonna want to make it a permanent part of the meal rotation. Packed with big flavors that somehow still harmonize perfectly with one another, it’s a crowd-pleaser at any dining table.
- by Luna Regina, 2024-02-04
- cook TIME 45 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 55 mins
- COURSE Main dish
- CUISINE Greek
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 469 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 24 oz skinless boneless chicken thighs (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp paprika (divided)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 oz cucumber (shredded and drained)
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 24 oz russet potatoes (batonnet)
- 6 oz cherry tomatoes
INSTRUCTIONS
In a mixing bowl, season 24 oz chicken with 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp parsley, and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning.
Coat evenly and allow the chicken to marinate for 5 minutes.
Thread the seasoned chicken onto the skewers. Air fry for 20 minutes at 400 °F, then remove to a clean plate and set aside.
In the meantime, place 24 oz potatoes in a large bowl, cover with cling film, and microwave for 6 minutes.
In the same mixing bowl used for the chicken, combine 6 oz cherry tomatoes and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. Transfer them to the air fryer basket.
In the same mixing bowl, combine 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/2 tbsp paprika, and the microwaved potatoes. Toss to coat evenly.
Transfer the seasoned potatoes to the air fryer basket together with the cherry tomatoes. Air fry for 5 minutes at 400 °F.
Remove the cherry tomatoes. Air fry the potatoes for 5 more minutes.
Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 oz cucumber, 1 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, and 2 tbsp mint.
Portion out the chicken souvlaki, fried tomatoes and potatoes onto serving plates. Garnish with parsley and enjoy with the dipping sauce on the side.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author