Garlic-Lime Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki and Pita

Chicken is cut into fast-cooking pieces, marinated briefly with garlic, lime, olive oil, and Mediterranean seasonings, then grilled on skewers. The meal is completed with a quick tzatziki, warm pita, and a simple cucumber-tomato herb salad for a full thirty-minute dinner.

By Julienne

Cook time: 12 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 30 ml olive oil divided
• 3 clove garlic cloves minced, divided
• 1 fruit lime 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedges
• 2 g dried oregano
• 2 g ground cumin
• 5 g fine salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 680 g boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 2.5 cm pieces
• 240 g plain Greek yogurt for tzatziki
• 150 g cucumber grated and squeezed dry
• 8 g fresh dill chopped
• 4 g fresh mint chopped
• 10 ml red wine vinegar
• 1 g fine salt divided
• 0.5 g black pepper divided
• 1 clove garlic cloves minced, divided
• 150 g tomato diced
• 6 g fresh parsley chopped
• 30 g red onion very thinly sliced
• 15 ml olive oil divided
• 1 g fine salt divided
• 0.5 g black pepper divided
• 4 piece pita breads warmed
• 1 fruit lime 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedges

Instructions

1. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water. Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with 30 ml olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, the zest and juice of 1 lime, oregano, cumin, 5 g salt, and 1 g black pepper. Toss until evenly coated and let stand while you make the tzatziki and salad, about 10 minutes. Chicken looks lightly glossy and evenly coated; grill is hot and ready.
2. Make the tzatziki in a small bowl by stirring together the yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, mint, red wine vinegar, 1 g salt, 0.5 g black pepper, and the remaining 1 minced garlic clove. Chill it in the bowl until serving. Tzatziki is thick, spoonable, and flecked with herbs.
3. Combine the diced tomato, parsley, red onion, remaining 15 ml olive oil, remaining 1 g salt, and remaining 0.5 g black pepper in a bowl. Toss briefly and set aside. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, dividing the pieces evenly. Salad is lightly dressed and the skewers are fully loaded without crowding.
4. Grill the skewers, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is browned on the outside and reaches 74 C at the center, about 8 to 10 minutes total. While they cook, warm the pita in a dry skillet or on the grill for about 1 minute per side. Chicken is cooked through with charred edges; pita is warm and pliable.
5. Serve the skewers with the tzatziki, warm pita, cucumber-tomato salad, and lime wedges from the second lime. The plate has hot chicken, cool sauce, warm bread, and fresh salad.