Greek BBQ Recipes

Last week we asked you to choose between Greek BBQ recipes and Brazilian BBQ recipes, with the Mediterranean country coming out on top. 

Here are 6 mouth-watering dishes you can try for yourself on your BBQ. 

Greek Chicken Gyros (Recipe Tin Eats)

Credit: Recipe Tin Eats

No list of Greek recipes would be complete without a gyros. 

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 6 minutes

Feeds: 6 people

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thigh fillets

Marinade:

• Black pepper
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt

Tzatziki:

• 2 cucumbers 
• Black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salad: 

• 3 cucumbers
• 1/2 red onion
• 3 tomatoes 
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper

To serve:

• 4 to 6 pita breads

Method

1. Place the Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and massage to mix. Add the chicken into the ziplock bag and massage to cover all the chicken in the Marinade. Marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 hours, ideally 12 hours and no longer than 24 hours.

Make the Tzatziki:

1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape the watery seeds out. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater. Then wrap in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
2. Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavours to meld.

Salad:

1. Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl

Cook chicken:

1. Brush the outdoor grill with oil, then preheat on medium high. Or heat 1 tbsp of oil in a fry pan over medium high heat.
2. Remove chicken from Marinade. Cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through (cooking time depends on size of chicken).
3. Remove the chicken from the grill / fry pan onto a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Assemble gyros: 

1. If your chicken thighs are large, you may need to cut them. Mine were small.
2. Get a pita bread or flatbread (preferably warmed) and place it on a piece of parchment (baking) paper (or you could use foil). Place some Salad down the middle of the bread, then top with chicken and Tzatziki.
3. Roll the wrap up, enclosing it with the parchment paper. Twist the end with the excess parchment paper to secure it and cut if desired.
4. I prefer to lay everything out on a table and let everyone help themselves.

Pork Souvlaki with Oregano (BBC Food)

Credit: BBC / Rick Stein

Rick Stein's spin on the classic kontosouvli, a souvlaki marinated in oregano and chilli.

Prep: 1- 2 hours

Cook: 10 - 30 minutes

Feeds: 4

Ingredients

• 400g pork shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes

Marinade:

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 tsp dried oregano 
• ½ tsp ground cumin 
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• ½ tsp salt 

Method

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add the meat. Marinate for an hour or so.

2. Thread the cubes of meat on to skewers. Grill on a barbecue or under a hot grill for 10–12 minutes, turning until cooked through.

Barbecued Greek Lamb with Tzatziki (BBC Good Food)

Credit: BBC / Barney Desmazery

A butterflied leg of lamb marinated in incredible Greek flavours. 

Prep: 40 minutes

Cook: 30 - 40 minutes

Feeds: 6 people

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp olive oil 
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tbsp thyme leaf 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 leg of lamb, butterflied

Method

1. Mash the garlic to a paste with a pestle and mortar. Mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and bay, and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Place the lamb in a large porcelain dish. Pour the marinade over the lamb and massage into the meat. Leave the lamb for at least 1 hr at room temperature, or longer in the fridge, but no longer than overnight or the meat will become too soft.

   To cook the lamb, fire up the barbecue, or heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. To cook on the barbecue, wait for the coals to turn ashen, then lay the lamb on the grill and cook for 15 mins on each side for meat that is pink, or 20 mins on each side for well done. To cook in the oven, place the lamb in a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins for pink or 40 mins for well done, turning the lamb halfway through. Leave the meat to rest for 10 mins before carving.

2. Meanwhile, make the tzatziki. Coarsely grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and squeeze out all the liquid. Tip into a bowl with the yogurt, garlic and mint, and mix well. Carve the lamb into thick slices and serve with the tzatziki wrapped up in warm flatbreads.

Grilled Greek Chicken Skewers (Saving Room for Desert)

Credit: Tricia / Saving Room for Desert

An easy recipe that is absolutely bursting with flavour.

Prep:  10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Feeds: 4 people 

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoons dried
• 6 medium garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
•  ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (use full fat yogurt for best results)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Skewers:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces for skewers
• 1 large red bell pepper seeded and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
• 1 medium red onion cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
• 8 skewers (if using wooden skewers soak in water for 30-minutes before grilling)

Method

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Seal and massage the bag to combine all the ingredients.
2. Add the chicken to the bag turning to coat. Marinate for 4-24 hours. Turn the bag a few times while marinating.
3. Preheat gas grill to 400F.
4. Pour the marinated chicken pieces into a large strainer to remove the excess marinade. Thread chicken pieces onto the skewers alternating with peppers and onions. Grill until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Greek Lamb Souvlaki Kebabs (Kitchen Sanctuary)

Credit: Nicky Corbishley / Kitchen Sanctuary  

Marinated succulent lamb, beautifully charred on the BBQ. 

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 12 minutes

Feeds: 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic - crushed
• 1 tsp table salt
• ½ tsp dried dill
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• Hand diced leg of lamb
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Place the garlic, salt, dill, oregano, cinnamon, pepper, lemon juice and zest in a bowl or ziplock bag. Add the lamb and give it a good mix together. Seal the bag (or cover the bowl) and leave to marinade for at least two hours.
2. After two hours, you’ll see that the lamb has started to go paler in colour. This is caused by the lemon juice which has been tenderizing the lamb.
3. Light the barbecue and wait for the coals to turn white before cooking (this takes around 20-30 minutes).Alternatively preheat the griddle or grill/broiler.
4. Take the lamb out of the bag and place the lamb pieces on 4 skewers. Brush the remaining marinade on top of the skewers and brush with the vegetable oil. 
5. Place the lamb kebabs on the barbecue (or on the griddle/under the grill/broiler) and gril until they’re dark brown and thoroughly cooked. You can test this by cutting into one of the pieces of lamb and checking that it’s not pink in the middle and that any juices run clear.
6. Serve with pitta bread, tzatziki (see recipe in note 1 of the recipe notes) and a tomato/cucumber/red onion salad.

Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce (Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer)

 Credit: Elise Bauer

Grilled chicken breast skewers marinated in a lemon yoghurt sauce. 

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 7 minutes

Feeds: 4 people

Ingredients

• 1kg pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for the grill
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced

Tzatziki: 

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cucumber, peeled

Method

1. Soak the skewers. If using bamboo or wooden skewers, place them in water to soak while you prepare the recipe. You'll need either 4 flat skewers or 8 regular round skewers. 
2. Cut the chicken breasts and marinate. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 1/2 to 2 inch chunks. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Add the yogurt, minced garlic, oregano, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil to the bowl with the chicken, stir to combine. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Make Tzatziki sauce. While the chicken is marinating, make the tzatziki. In a medium bowl stir to combine the yogurt, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Grate the cucumber with the large holes of a box grater. Place in a strainer and press with your hands to squeeze out excess moisture. Add the grated cucumber to the yogurt mixture.
4. Thread skewers with chicken and lemon slices. Prepare your grill for direct high heat. While the grill is heating, prepare the skewers. Use either flat bamboo or metal skewers or double up regular bamboo skewers so that the chicken is easier to turn on the grill. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers with a lemon slice folded over like a taco between each piece of chicken.
5. Grill. When the grill is ready brush the grill grates with a little olive oil (use a paper towel folded over several times and dipped in olive oil, hold with tongs). Brush some olive oil over the chicken skewers as well. Place the chicken skewers directly over the hottest part of the grill and cover the grill. Allow to sear on one side (about 2 to 3 minutes), then turn the chicken skewers over to the other side, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the chicken is browned and just cooked through.
6. Remove from grill and serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.