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Greek Beef or Chicken Kebabs with Tzatziki + Pita

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar*
  • 1 tbsp honey**
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 tsp black pepper, divided
  • 1-1.5 lb top sirloin steak or boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch thick round
  • 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
  • ½ red onion, cut into thick wedges
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley, optional
  • 2-4 pita pockets depending on size

For the tzatziki sauce:

  • 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, chopped about 1 cup
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • *If marinating for more than 2 hours, add the lemon juice 2 hours before grilling.
  • **if your honey is solidified, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to thin it out so that it mixes into the marinade better.

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Make marinade
  • Cut beef into cubes and marinate (up to 2 hours, if more than 2 hours, skip the lemon)
  • Prep your veggies for the skewers
  • Make tzatziki sauce

Instructions

  • In a large bowl with a lid, whisk together the yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and juice, honey, oregano, paprika, garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper until smooth. Add the beef to the bowl and use your hands to mix and rub everything together. Let marinate for at least 45 minutes or up to 2 hours (see note).
  • Heat your grill up on high at least 15 minutes before you want to start grilling.
  • In a small bowl, make your tzatziki by mixing all ingredients together until smooth. Taste and add more salt or lemon, if needed.
  • Add veggies to a medium bowl and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
  • Form your kebabs by alternating between marinated beef and veggies. Grill the kebabs until cooked through and charred, about 10 minutes, rotating them halfway through.
  • Warm your pitas up on the grill. Fill them with the beef kebab contents and top with tzatziki sauce and parsley (if using).

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make it vegetarian, use tofu in place of the meat. Marinate it as you would the meat.
  • To make vegan, use tofu (as above) and substitute mashed avocado for the yogurt in the sauce. Skip the yogurt entirely in the marinade.
  • Top sirloin steak is the best cut, you could also use NY strip steak. You just want a steak cut that isn’t very fatty. Chicken thighs can also be used.
  • Use any skewer-able veggie you’d like here. 
  • If you don’t have a grill, you can bake these in the oven at 450F until nice and browned, about 10-15 minutes. You can hit it with the broiler to get some extra browning

Storage:

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
    • Kebabs: up to 4 days
    • Tzatziki sauce: up to 5 days 

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Use leftover grilled meat and veggies in salads or bowls all week.
  • Warm up the meat and veggies in the microwave. Stuff into leftover pita and top with tzatziki sauce.
  • Leftover tzatziki sauce is good on everything!