These chicken skewers are gently flavored with a herb-garlic marinade, which makes the meat tender and delicious. They are served in bowls with orzo, cherry tomatoes, olives, feta, and lemon sauce for a cozy weeknight meal.
If you love these Chicken Skewers, you will also love this Grilled Lamb Burger In A Bowl, Greek Chicken Orzo-Giouvetsi Kotopoulo or Buttermilk Chicken Thighs With Lemon Garlic Orzo!
Why this recipe sings
This bowl has all the classic Greek flavors. Boneless chicken thighs are coated with herb and garlic marinade, then seared until charred and browned outside. They finish cooking in the oven and are served with orzo pasta, tomatoes, olives, and feta for a fresh, briny bite.
Here is what you need
- Chicken thighs. Skinless and boneless. They are more flavorful and juicy than chicken breast, which can sometimes be dry and are less likely to be overcooked. If possible, aim for organic, free-range chicken thighs.
- Fresh parsley, rosemary, and garlic. The herbs and one garlic clove are used for the chicken marinade.
- Lemons. The zest of one lemon goes into the marinade; the juice is used for the amazing lemon sauce.
- Mustard. My go-to is a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for adding tangy, sharp notes to the lemon sauce. If it is not available yellow mustard will do in a pinch.
- Sugar. A teaspoon goes into the lemon sauce.
- Orzo pasta. The Greek pasta is perfect with these skewers.
- Feta. A few crumbles of briny feta add a savory, salty note.
- Cherry tomatoes. Sweet and ripe, they add freshness.
- Olives. Salty and earthy, they complement all the other ingredients.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
How to make these chicken skewers
Make the chicken marinade
Place extra virgin olive oil, rosemary leaves, parsley, a garlic clove and zest from one lemon in a food processor. Pulse until the greens and garlic are well chopped but not pureed.
Cut the thighs into bite-size pieces of about an inch in width. Place them in a bowl with the marinade, and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. If you use wood-bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes ahead of time.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F
Heat a cast pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sear the skewers until they get a nice color on both sides. Resist moving the skewers while they sear.
Finish cooking the skewers in the oven at 180°C for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the lemon sauce
Place the mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, and a teaspoon of sugar in the food processor, blender, or jar.
Blend (or shake) until the ingredients are homogenized and have transformed into a thick sauce.
The lemon sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Make the orzo according to the instructions and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Serve the chicken skewers with a bowl of orzo, cherry tomatoes, feta, olives and a drizzle of lemon sauce.
Check out my Greek pantry staples
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Chicken Skewers Orzo Bowls with Lemon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 2 cups orzo pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the chicken marinade
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ fresh parsley bunch
- ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 lemon zested
For the lemon sauce
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For serving
- ½ cup Greek feta cheese
- ½ cup olives
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Make the chicken marinade
- Place extra virgin olive oil, rosemary leaves, parsley, a garlic clove and zest from one lemon in a food processor. Pulse until the greens and garlic are well chopped but not pureed.Cut the thighs into bite-size pieces of about an inch in width. Place them in a bowl with the marinade, and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. If you use wood-bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before adding the chicken.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°FHeat a cast pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sear the skewers until they get a nice color, approximately two minutes on each side. Resist moving the skewers while they sear.
- Transfer skewers to a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.The chicken needs to be fully cooked with liquids running clear and no pink color at all.
Make the lemon sauce
- Place the mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, and a teaspoon of sugar in the food processor, blender, or jar.Blend (or shake) until the ingredients are homogenized and have transformed into a thick sauce.
- Make the orzo according to the instructions and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Serve the chicken skewers with a bowl of orzo, cherry tomatoes, feta, olives, and a generous drizzle of lemon sauce.
Notes
- If you use wood-bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before adding the chicken.
- The lemon sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
Great for bbq parties all summer long. Orzo is such a great ingredient to work with. Chicken is always a hit with everyone.
Love how simple this marinade is! The lemon sauce adds the perfect tangy finish. Thanks for the recipe!
The combination of tender chicken skewers, flavorful orzo, and zesty lemon created a perfect and satisfying meal.
What a great dinner idea for summertime! 🙂 So flavorful and fresh. And the chicken skewers are a genius idea.
This is definitely one of the best recipes that I made this week. It is so delicious and so easy!
Wow! Another amazing chicken dish that looks so yummy! A complete meal in a bowl that everyone will gonna love and enjoy eating! Totally love it!
I love making chicken skewers, but adding to the orzo bowls was such a tasty meal! Will definitely make this again!
This is such a fun recipe to make during the Summer! It was easy to prep and everyone loved the flavor 😉
I made these chicken skewers for lunch today! They were so delicious and easy to make. Mediterranean food is my favorite, and you nailed it!
Perfect summer recipe! The chicken flavored with the lemon sauce was finger licking good! Definitely making again.
These chicken skewers with orzo are wonderful — surprising for how quickly it came together. Tender and flavorful meat is just what my family likes, specially chicken. Definitely going to make this again, thank you so much for the recipe!
This recipe is being added to my favourites, I am really craving this for dinner now! I love dishes like these and I can’t wait to make this, thank you for sharing!