Chicken Kontosouvli Beer Marinade Recipe (Greek Souvla)

This easy chicken kontosouvli beer marinade recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves cooking on the charcoal spit roast rotisserie (souvla)! The beer marinade makes the chicken incredibly juicy and full of flavour, the onion helps further tenderise it, and the slow rotation over hot charcoal adds a smoky, golden finish that’s absolutely irresistible.

My pappou used to make this recipe to add variation to his chicken souvlakia, but I love using it for kontosouvli too. It’s such a simple way to create tender, flavour-packed chicken that’s perfect for sharing.

If you’re a fan of this style of cooking, you might also enjoy my pork or lamb kontosouvli recipes. Feeling adventurous? Take it up a notch with this guide to cooking a whole lamb on the spit, which is always a showstopper!

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This Recipe
• Overview Of The Key Steps
• Watch The Short Video Tutorial
• Ingredients
• Preparation
• Step-by-step Instructions
• Top Tips
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Juicy and Tender: The beer marinade, combined with grated onion, makes the chicken unbelievably moist and full of flavour. It’s mouth-watering with every bite!
• Smoky Charcoal Flavour: There’s nothing like the authentic taste you get from cooking over hot charcoal on the spit rotisserie. It’s smoky, golden, and honestly, you just can’t match this kind of flavour with gas!
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s the festive season, a family gathering, or just a weekend BBQ, this recipe is guaranteed to impress.
• Easy to Make: With simple ingredients for quick and easy preparation and hands-off cooking on the souvla, there’s plenty of chance to relax and just enjoy the experience with good company!

Overview Of The Key Steps

Here’s a quick look at the steps to prepare and cook this Greek-style chicken kontosouvli. If you’ve never cooked on the spit rotisserie before, I promise you will love it!

1. Marinate the Chicken: Mix up a flavour-packed beer marinade and let the chicken soak in all that goodness. This step is key to juicy, tender meat!
2. Prepare the Charcoal: Fire up your charcoal and get everything nice and hot for an even heat throughout the cook.
3. Skewer the Chicken: Secure the marinated chicken onto the souvla skewer, making sure the pieces are snug for even cooking.
4. Slow-Roast: Place the skewer over the charcoal rotisserie and let the spit do the work! In a few hours the chicken will be smoky, golden, and perfectly cooked.

As you can see, it’s very simple, giving you so much time to prepare different mezzes (appetizers/ sides) and the chance to easily put other different meats onto the grill for plenty of options to share with friends.

Watch The Short Video Tutorial

Watch the video below to see just how easy it is to cook this beer-marinated chicken kontosouvli over the charcoal.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and share the video with anyone who loves the souvla!

Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this recipe so special! As always, check the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Chicken Thigh Fillets

• Juicy and Tender: Boneless chicken thighs are ideal for slow roasting on the souvla. Their natural fat keeps them juicy and adds incredible flavour.
• Customizable Sizes: You can fold the thighs to size, or cut them before marinating to get the exact size you need for easier handling. If you have any left over, cut them into even smaller pieces and make some chicken souvlaki for a meze!
• Trim to Your Preference: Clean the chicken and trim any excess fat if you like, but leaving some fat on is a great way to enhance the flavour! The fat melts and renders beautifully during the cook!

Marinade

• Beer: The star of the marinade! Beer tenderizes the chicken, helps make it incredibly moist and juicy, and adds such a fantastic flavour that it’s really noticeable!
• Onion: Grated onion not only adds natural sweetness but also helps tenderize the chicken along with the beer, making it beautifully soft.
• Salt and Pepper: The foundation of any good seasoning. Salt enhances the natural flavours of the chicken, while black pepper adds a hint of warmth and a little kick.
• Oregano and Thyme: These classic Greek herbs bring authentic Mediterranean flavours to the dish.
• Garlic Powder: Adds a mild garlic aroma without overpowering the other ingredients. You can mince fresh garlic cloves if you prefer, but for simplicity in this recipe, the powder works great!

Preparation

Getting everything ready before you get going makes the process smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s what you need to do:

• Clean and Trim the Chicken: Inspect your boneless chicken thighs, trim any excess fat if you prefer, and cut them to the size you need.
• Measure Your Ingredients: Weigh your chicken and then use my recipe, which is organized per kg of meat, to measure out everything you need.
• Set Up Bowls: Have a large bowl ready for massaging and marinating the meat, and a small bowl on hand to mix your herbs and spices.

Souvla Preparation

• Charcoal: Ensure you have good-quality charcoal on hand and enough to last the entire cook.
• Skewers/Spits: Make sure you have your skewers or spits ready, whether it’s one big skewer or multiple smaller ones.
• Securing Mechanism: Use gyros disks, prongs, or even onions like I do to secure your chicken pieces on the spit and keep them snug during cooking. If you’re using onions, make a small incision with a knife beforehand to prevent them from splitting when sliding them onto the spit.

Step-by-step Instructions

Follow these steps to bring this chicken kontosouvli recipe to life! Use the images as a guide, and if you need extra help, watch my video for detailed, step-by-step guidance on the cooking process. If you have any questions or need more help, leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you!

Marinate the Chicken

1. Inspect, Clean, and Cut: Inspect, clean, and cut your chicken thighs to size. You can just fold boneless chicken thighs, but if you prefer, cut them to the exact sizes you like to make handling easier.
2. Add Beer: In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken thigh fillets and beer. Massage the beer into the chicken thoroughly.
3. Grate the Onion: Grate the onion on a fine setting to create a pulpy texture, keeping all the juices. Add the onion and its juices to the chicken and massage again.
4. Prepare the Spice Mix: In a separate small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and garlic powder. Gradually add this spice mix to the chicken while massaging to ensure even coating.
5. Refrigerate: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours. Before cooking, bring the chicken to room temperature.

Skewer the Chicken

1. Secure the Spit: Secure one prong, gyros disk, half a brown or red onion onto the spit to hold the chicken in place.
2. Add the Chicken: Slide the chicken onto the spit, either folded or as-is, depending on the size of the pieces.
3. Take Your Time: Whether you’ve cut them to size or left them whole, ensure the pieces are evenly layered for consistent cooking. Stack them neatly for the best results.
4. Tighten the Spit: Finish by securing the end of the skewer with another prong, gyros disk, or onion. Tighten everything to hold the chicken firmly in place.

Cook the Chicken

1. Light Your Charcoal: Light your charcoal at least 30 minutes before starting to cook to ensure it’s hot and ready.
2. Spread Out Charcoal: Once the charcoal is well lit, spread out the hot coals evenly. If needed, use some ash to control the temperature and maintain consistent heat.
3. Maintain Constant Heat: Ensure the chicken is cooking over a constant heat throughout the cook. It should be done in about 2 hours, provided you’ve folded or cut the pieces into smaller sizes. I follow the 5-second rule for this cook, where I should be able to hold my hand under the chicken for no more and no less than 5 seconds.
4. Check for Doneness and Colour: The chicken should have a beautiful golden colour and reach an internal temperature of 75°C. Toward the end of the cook, increase the intensity of the heat to crisp up the chicken and give it its final golden finish.
5. Rest and Slice: Once done, remove the spit from the BBQ and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Slice and serve directly from the spit or slide the chicken off as whole pieces before cutting. Serve and enjoy!

Top Tips

• Marinate for Maximum Flavour: Let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavours to penetrate properly and give the beer and onion time to tenderise the meat.
• Have Some Charcoal Ash Handy: Charcoal ash is great to keep on hand. Use it to control the temperature of the charcoal easily, especially if your BBQ isn’t height adjustable. It’s also perfect for putting out any spot flares.
• Keep the Pieces Snug: When skewering the chicken, ensure the pieces are tight. This prevents them from moving around on the BBQ and ensures more even cooking.
• Maintain a Steady Heat: Cooking chicken kontosouvli of this size requires consistent, even heat throughout the cook. Unlike a larger gyros, which is cooked at a higher heat and trimmed constantly during the process, chicken kontosouvli is left whole and only cut at the end. It also differs from lamb or pork kontosouvli, which typically require alternating temperatures.
• Use a Meat Thermometer: Always have a meat/ food thermometer handy to ensure the chicken is fully cooked. Aim for an internal temperature of 75°C to guarantee safe and perfectly cooked chicken.
• Don’t Rush the Resting: Once cooked, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This step allows the juices to settle, ensuring tender, juicy meat.
• Crisp it Up: For that golden, crispy finish, increase the heat toward the end of the cook by scratching the charcoal to intensify the fire.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re using a Cyprus BBQ with multiple rotisseries and a grill plate, the possibilities are endless! The cooking experience is all about relaxing, enjoying, and sharing the entire way through. Throw on some sheftalies (Cypriot pork sausages) or pork souvlakia for variety, or add lamb chops and loukanika for a quick mezze to get things started.

Make it a full spread with these serving ideas:

• Pita Bread: You almost can’t have a charcoal BBQ without some soft and warm pita bread. Try my Greek pita bread recipe for traditional pita wraps, or my pocket pita recipe, which is perfect for stuffing with salad and chicken!
• Salads: Serve with a classic Greek salad or my maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad). Want more ideas? Check out my collection of Greek salad recipes for more great and easy options!
• Lemon and Dips: You absolutely need to serve your meat with a good squeeze of lemon juice over the top, especially if you’re eating it open-plate style! The favourite choice would be a generous bowl of tzatziki sauce, or explore my other Greek dips and sauces for more delicious choices!
• Dessert: Complete your BBQ with a dessert that’s super easy and can be made ahead of time, like portokalopita (Greek orange cake) or sokolatopita (Greek chocolate cake). Or, check out my other Greek dessert recipes for even more options!

Storage

If you have leftovers, here’s how to keep it fresh:

Refrigeration

• Cool the chicken completely before storing.
• Place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• To reheat, warm it gently in a pan or on a grill with a bit of olive oil to keep it juicy and crispy.

Freezing

• Store the chicken in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
• Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat as mentioned above.
• This is a fantastic way to prep quick dinners ahead of time. Don’t forget to date your containers before freezing!

FAQ

📖 Recipe