Probably the most tender chicken souvlaki you've ever had

After the much dreaded exam period (which was also the main reason I haven't blogged for a while), I'm back with a bang! I came to London a few days ago to be with BH who's not yet liberated from this year's exams, but with his appetite of a black hole, and his food-loving flatmate, I could cook and know that my food would be eaten and appreciated. The bang mentioned above came last night with my recipe for super tender souvlaki, one of the most sought-after comfort foods of Cypriot students in the UK. Although nothing beats the authentic souvlaki you find in Cyprus and Greece, I truly believe this comes as a (very) close second. Here I use a yoghurt based marinate to tenderize the chicken, but if you're using pork I'd suggest you replace the marinade with a blend of olive oil, fresh lemon juice and oregano.

For the marinade, you'll need: (for 2-3 people, depending on greediness)
- 1kg of boneless chicken thighs (unlike chicken breast, the fat from the thighs will melt and make the chicken even more flavorsome!)
- 200g plain yoghurt
- juice of half a lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried oregano

To make magic happen, just put everything in a large bowl (or a freezer bag if you really don't like the washing up afterwards), and give everything a good stir. No salt at this point to keep the chicken as moist and juicy as possible. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight and when you're ready to grill, take it out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature. About half an hour before starting to grill, thread the chicken onto pre-soaked wooden skewers or metal ones which you can find from a supermarket.

I would even suggest to thread alongside the chicken some quartered onions or chopped peppers if you feel like it.

Now, for the grilling part! We were fortunate enough to have this little guy:

But if you don't, worry not! An ordinary grill will do just fine. Preheat it to medium-high and cook for about 7-8 minutes per side until slightly charred on the outside and cooked through (the cooking time is a bit longer for pork). Season with salt.

Done.

To serve, grill some pitta bread to desired crispiness, slather generously with tzatziki, add some sliced tomatoes and onions and top with the chicken.

Nom!