Luke Hines’ Sensational Chicken Souvlaki

This classic souvlaki with a healthy twist is packed full of herbs, seasoned to perfection and topped with a zesty Greek salad.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 800 g chicken thigh fillets, roughly chopped
  • Avocado
  • Tzatziki, to serve (optional)

Greek salad

  • 2 tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber, finely diced
  • 1/4 red onion, finely diced
  • 2 large handfuls of flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsb extra-virgin olive oil

Paleo Pitas

  • 100 g (1 cup) almond meal
  • 125 g (1 cup) arrowroot or tapioca flour
  • 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) coconut milk
  • 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) filtered water
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 3–4 tbs coconut oil

Method

Step 1.
Place eight bamboo skewers in a shallow dish, cover with cold water and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2.
Add the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice and oregano to a large bowl and mix together well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the chicken and toss to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 3 hours if you’ve got time).

Step 3.
To make the Greek salad, toss together all the ingredients in a bowl.

Step 4.
For the pitas, combine the almond meal, arrowroot or tapioca flour, coconut milk, water, oregano and salt in a bowl and mix well to form a smooth batter.

Step 5.
Melt about 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Ladle one-quarter of the batter into the pan, tilting and swirling it to coat the base in an even layer, and cook for 2–3 minutes, then carefully turn the pita over with a spatula and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining mixture, greasing the pan with a little extra coconut oil in between pitas to make sure they don’t stick to the pan.

Step 6.
Set aside wrapped in a clean tea towel to keep warm. Heat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan to medium–high.

Step 6.
Thread the marinated chicken onto the prepared skewers and grill for 6–8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and nicely charred on the outside. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Step 7.
To assemble the souvlaki, spoon a few generous dollops of avocado tzatziki (if using) on each pita. Top with a chicken skewer and a few spoonfuls of the salad. Wrap up and enjoy.

Serves 8

 

smart carbs Extract from 
Smart Carbs by Luke Hines.
Available now. Published by Pan Macmillan. Photography by Mark Roper. Go to Booktopia to purchase.
SHARE THIS

RELATED ARTICLES