Opa! Try this Easy Chicken Souvlaki for a fresh, healthy and delicious summertime meal

FARGO — Greek cuisine is known for being simple, fresh, healthy and delicious. Add quick and easy to make with just seven basic ingredients, and it becomes clear why this Easy Chicken Souvlaki is one of my favorite summer weeknight dinners.

Like a kebab, souvlaki is a Greek dish consisting of small chunks of meat, typically chicken, pork, beef or lamb, grilled on a skewer. However, to simplify the process, I use whole chicken tenders for this recipe, which can be threaded onto the skewers in one piece. This ultra-tender cut of chicken requires no additional slicing and won't dry out as quickly as smaller pieces might.

To ensure that the chicken tenders stay moist and juicy on the grill, I marinate them in a combination of classic Greek ingredients, including extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper and a generous dose of dried oregano. You could also add fresh or dried rosemary or mint for even more flavor, but it is flavorful enough with just the oregano.

I use a large plastic zip bag to marinate the chicken, which can be discarded later for an easy clean-up. First, I add the marinade ingredients and mix them around in the bottom of the bag until combined. Next, I add the chicken tenders, zip the bag tightly shut and shake it until the tenders are evenly coated. I place the bag in the fridge for at least an hour, or even overnight, before grilling, and you can even freeze the tenders in the marinade for later use.

I normally use steel skewers for grilled meats, but I couldn't find mine on this occasion, so I used wooden ones instead. Wooden skewers must be soaked in water for several hours to prevent them from burning, but even after three hours of soaking I still had several skewers with burnt ends.

I grill the chicken until it is golden brown and fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, which takes about three to four minutes per side. When it is ready, I often serve the souvlaki with tzatziki sauce (homemade or store-bought), lightly grilled pitas and a simple salad of tomatoes, onions and cucumbers tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Of course, you can enjoy it straight from the skewer, too.

The grilled souvlaki can be refrigerated for up to four days and served chilled, at room temperature, or heated until warm in the microwave or oven. The leftovers are great in salads and sandwiches or mixed in with rice and whole grains.

Low in fat and calories and full of big, Greek flavors, this Easy Chicken Souvlaki is the perfect dish for an easy weeknight dinner. So, fire up the grill and get ready to shout, "Opa!"

Makes: 10 to 12 pieces

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds chicken tenders, rinsed and patted dry¼ cup extra virgin olive oil¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)4 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons dried oregano½ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Rinse the chicken tenders under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel; set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients to a gallon plastic zip bag and mix them around until combined. Add the chicken tenders to the marinade and zip the bag tightly shut. Refrigerate for at least one hour or even overnight. The tenders may also be frozen in the marinade for up to 3 months. To freeze, lay the bag flat in a single layer in the freezer, and thaw them completely in the refrigerator before grilling.

Preheat your grill over medium-high and wipe the grates with vegetable oil to keep the chicken from sticking to them.

Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook until golden brown and fully cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the skewers to a clean plate and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days. I serve the tenders with tzatziki sauce, grilled pitas and a simple salad of chopped tomatoes, onion and cucumbers tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper.

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