Souvlaki is Greek street food at its best: small, marinated pieces of chicken, grilled until they’re juicy on the inside and have taken on crisp, golden edges. They usually call for a grill or a scorching-hot pan, but the air fryer handles the job at least as well — and without you having to stand and turn skewers over an open flame.
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The hot, circulating air creates exactly the caramelisation on the outside that souvlaki lives on, while the meat holds on to the juices inside. In this guide I share my experience with Greek chicken skewers in the air fryer, so you hit the balance between crispy and juicy every single time.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love souvlaki in the air fryer
Souvlaki in the air fryer has become a firm favourite of mine, because it’s quick, clean and predictable. I avoid firing up the grill, and the kitchen doesn’t fill with smoke. The meat still gets that grilled character, because the air fryer surrounds the skewers with hot air from all sides at once.
The marinade of olive oil, lemon, garlic and oregano is the heart of the dish. When it meets the dry heat in the basket, the spices char just barely on the surface and lay down a layer of flavour that’s hard to recreate in an ordinary pan. The result is skewers that taste of sun and holidays — all year round.
The difference between air fryer and grill
Where a charcoal grill gives smoky flavour and bold grill marks, the air fryer delivers an even browning all the way around the meat and completely without smoke. For souvlaki, where small, uniform pieces need to finish at the same time, the even heat is a clear advantage. You avoid the burnt tips and the raw middle that a grill sometimes leaves, and you can cook no matter the weather outside.
My test in the kitchen with souvlaki
I’ve made souvlaki countless times, and this time I tested them in my Philips XXL. The round, roomy basket is pleasant to work with when you’re using skewers, because most metal skewers can be laid down fairly flat without having to be bent into place. I set the temperature to 200 °C and gave the skewers 14 minutes with one turn halfway through. The core temperature hit 75 °C, which is the safe temperature for chicken — and at the same time the point where the meat is still juicy and hasn’t started to dry out. The whole dish took just under an hour from start to table, of which the 30 minutes go to the marinating, while you can do something else.
Always cut the meat into even cubes of two to three centimetres — it’s the simplest way to make sure every piece of souvlaki finishes at exactly the same time.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is cramming the basket too full. When the skewers lie on top of each other, the air can’t circulate, and the meat steams instead of browning — lay them out with air in between, and rather cook two batches. The second mistake is cutting the meat into uneven pieces, because large and small chunks finish at wildly different times, so you end up with both dry and raw pieces; cut into even cubes instead. The third mistake is skipping the marinating to save time, but even half an hour makes a noticeable difference to both flavour and tenderness, and you can easily prepare the meat earlier in the day and cook it when you’re ready to eat. By the way, always use metal skewers — wooden skewers have no place in an air fryer.
How to serve souvlaki
Souvlaki is flexible and can be put together in many ways. Here are my favourite companions for the skewers:
- Warm pita breads with a good dollop of tzatziki and thin, raw onion rings
- A fresh Greek salad with tomato, cucumber, feta and black olives
- Crispy fries made in the same air fryer while the meat rests
- Lemon wedges to squeeze over the skewers just before serving
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep for three to four days in an airtight container in the fridge. Souvlaki does dry out quickly when reheated, though, so give it only a short spell in the air fryer at a slightly lower heat — just enough to warm the meat through without drying it out. You can also freeze the cooked skewers and thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Souvlaki in the air fryer proves that real street food can easily be made at home without either a grill or much fuss. Give the meat time in the marinade, keep an eye on the core temperature, and you’ll have a piece of Greece on the table in under an hour.
FAQ
Yes, the marinating gives both flavour and tenderness. Even 30 minutes makes a big difference, but you can ideally let the meat sit for several hours or overnight if you have time.
Always use metal skewers. They withstand the heat, can be reused, and most fit in the basket, possibly laid a little at an angle. Wooden skewers you should avoid in the air fryer.
The chicken is done when the core temperature reaches 75 °C. At 200 °C it takes around 14 minutes with one turn along the way, but a meat thermometer is the surest way to hit the right point.
Recipe
Air Fryer Souvlaki
Cooking Guide
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Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Cut 600 g chicken breast into roughly 3 cm cubes so the pieces are even and cook through at the same time.
- Turn the chicken cubes thoroughly in the marinade, cover the bowl, and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge — ideally a couple of hours or overnight for deeper flavour.
- Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto metal skewers so they sit close together without being pressed too tightly.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C convection.
- Place the skewers in the basket in a single layer and cook them at 200 °C for 14 minutes. Turn the skewers halfway through so the chicken turns evenly golden and gets colour all the way around.
- Check that the chicken’s core temperature is at least 75 °C, and let the skewers rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Serving
- Serve the souvlaki skewers with warm pita breads, a dollop of tzatziki and a fresh Greek salad.
Our notes for the recipe
Let the chicken marinate for as long as possible — ideally a couple of hours or overnight — for deeper flavour and more tender meat. Always use metal skewers in the air fryer, never wooden ones. Variation:
Swap the chicken breast for chicken thighs for a juicier result, or use diced pork loin for a classic Greek pork souvlaki. Serving:
Serve with warm pita breads, homemade tzatziki, tomato, red onion and a squeeze of lemon. A Greek salad with feta is the perfect match. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook the skewers in two batches so they always sit in a single layer.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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