This light, herbaceous chicken dinner is refreshingly easy to prepare. A simple marinade of lemon, garlic and spice infuses the chicken with bright flavor, deepened by the smoky char from the grill. When ready to cook, simply the thread the strips of meat onto skewers, which exposes the lengthy edges, allowing them to caramelize and crisp. Grill until lightly charred (or use a stovetop griddle for indoor cooking), then serve them on a platter for fun, build-your-own assembly.

This dish is undemanding and flexible, equally suited to a weeknight dinner or a casual outdoor meal. The chicken and creamy, garlicky tzatziki sauce can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. If preparing the tzatziki ahead, wait to add the fresh mint and dill until just before serving to preserve their brightness. Serve alongside warm pita bread and crisp garden vegetables and let everyone assemble their own plates.

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Chicken Souvlaki Skewers With Tzatziki Sauce

Active time: 30 to 40 minutes

Total time: 30 to 40 minutes, plus marinating time

Yield: Serves 4

Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, grated

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt and black pepper

Tzatziki:

1 1/2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt

1/2 English cucumber, seeded, finely diced (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill sprigs

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Assembly:

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Butter lettuce leaves

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

Fresh mint leaves

Pita bread, warmed

Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend.

Halve each chicken thigh lengthwise. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour in the marinade and stir to thoroughly coat the meat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Combine the tzatziki ingredients in a bowl and stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate until use. (The tzatziki can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. If preparing in advance, omit the fresh mint and dill, stirring them in just before serving.)

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and thread on skewers. Discard any remaining marinade.

Grill the skewers over direct medium-high heat until they are charred in spots and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Slide the chicken off the skewers onto a serving platter. Lightly season with additional salt and black pepper. Serve the chicken with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, mint leaves, pita bread and the tzatziki sauce.

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Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.