Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers (Low FODMAP Option)

Is Traditional Chicken Souvlaki Low FODMAP?

Traditional chicken souvlaki marinades often include garlic, onion, or store-bought Greek seasoning blends containing higher FODMAP ingredients. This version uses garlic-infused olive oil and homemade Greek seasoning to add plenty of classic Greek-inspired flavor while keeping the recipe lower in FODMAPs.

Equipment You'll Need

The equipment I use to make these Greek chicken souvlaki skewers includes:

• Outdoor grill or grill pan
• 8 or 9 12-inch wooden skewers, or your preferred skewers. I typically only get 8 skewers out of this but always soak an extra skewer just in case all the chicken doesn't fit. I've only tested this with wooden skewers but believe other types of skewers will work.
• Chopping board and knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Citrus juicer
• Citrus zester
• Shallow glass container with lid. Mine is 1.5 quarts but other sizes might work.
• Dish to soak the skewers in. I use an 8-inch by 11-inch glass baking dish, but other methods may work.
• Instant read thermometer
• Baking sheets covered in parchment paper (optional) or platters

Ingredients

The ingredients I use to make this Low FODMAP Greek Chicken Souvlaki include:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 1-inch pieces. Boneless skinless chicken breasts can also be used; however, chicken thighs offer the best flavor and don't dry out or overcook as easily as chicken breasts.

For the Greek Chicken Souvlaki Marinade:

• Garlic-infused olive oil for low FODMAP, or you can use extra virgin olive oil plus 3 minced garlic cloves
• Lemon juice, freshly-squeezed from 1 large lemon
• Red wine vinegar
• A batch of my Greek seasoning recipe, or see the recipe card notes below if you prefer not to make a full batch of seasoning.
• Lemon zest, from about 2 large lemons. This may seem like a lot of zest, but it's so important to achieve the best flavor.

For the Tzatziki Sauce:

• A full batch of homemade Low FODMAP Tzatziki

Method

Make the Souvlaki Marinade

A minimum of 2 hours prior to grilling or up to overnight:

Add marinade ingredients to a shallow glass container.

Whisk...

...until combined.

Add chicken thigh pieces to the glass container with marinade.

Toss with your hands until chicken thigh pieces are evenly coated in marinade. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight.

Soak

A minimum of 30 minutes prior to grilling but preferably overnight:

Soak wooden skewers in water. This will prevent them from burning too much.

Make the Tzatziki Sauce

While the chicken is marinating, make a full batch of homemade tzatziki sauce.

Thread and grill

Once ready to cook, preheat grill on medium heat to 400°F. Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator.

Thread chicken pieces onto wooden skewers.

Grill skewers for 4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the largest piece of chicken reaches 165°F per an instant read thermometer.

Remove from grill.

Serving Options

Serve these Greek chicken souvlaki skewers on their own or with some fresh veggies in a pita or tortilla, over Instant Pot Quinoa or rice fitting your dietary requirements, and topped in homemade tzatziki. For Keto/low carb, I serve it over shirataki rice or hearts of palm rice and top with tzatziki.

Sometimes I substitute this souvlaki for the shawarma in my Chicken Shawarma Quinoa Bowls.

Easier Greek Chicken Marinade Variation

If you don't want to go through all the work of threading the chicken onto skewers, you can always leave it whole, marinate it as described, and then grill it on medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side. It's technically no longer souvlaki but still has the same amazing flavor and works if you're in a rush or feeling particularly lazy (like I often do).