Chicken
- 1½ lb (700 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1½ tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 5–6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or mint
🔥 Garlic-Herb Finishing Sauce
This is the secret to the glossy, heavily seasoned appearance in your photo.
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Small pinch of salt
Tzatziki
- 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber, grated and squeezed very dry
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
- ½ tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
To serve
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley
- Warm pita
- Pickled onions or grilled vegetables, optional
Method
1. Cut the chicken
Cut chicken thighs into roughly 1½-inch / 4-cm chunks. Thigh meat is preferable here because it stays much juicier than breast meat.
2. Marinate
Mix all the chicken marinade ingredients together. Add the chicken and massage the marinade thoroughly into every piece.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Make the tzatziki
Combine the yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic, lemon, olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper.
Refrigerate while you cook the chicken. The flavor improves after about 30 minutes.
4. Skewer
Thread the chicken tightly onto soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers.
Don’t leave huge gaps between the pieces — keeping them close together helps the centers remain juicy.
5. Make the garlic butter
Mix the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, parsley, chili flakes, paprika, lemon juice and salt.
Set aside.
6. Get the grill VERY hot
Preheat your grill or grill pan until it’s smoking hot.
Cook the skewers for approximately 3–4 minutes per side, turning several times, until deeply browned and charred.
Brush with the garlic-herb butter during the final couple of minutes.
For food safety, cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.
7. The important finishing step
Remove the chicken and immediately brush it generously with more garlic-herb butter.
Then scatter over fresh parsley, chili flakes and a squeeze of lemon.
Let it rest for about 5 minutes.
⭐ For the exact look in your photo
Use chicken thighs + tomato paste + smoked paprika, and don’t be afraid of high heat. You want some dark, almost blackened edges while keeping the inside juicy.
For an especially spectacular finish, drizzle a little of the remaining garlic-herb butter over the skewers just before serving and put the tzatziki in small bowls alongside them.
Best pairing: warm pita + tzatziki + grilled lemon + pickled red onion.
