Cooking & Grilling
Chicken Spiedies
Chicken Spiedies
Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs
The legendary Upstate New York grilling tradition — marinated overnight, grilled to perfection, served on pita.
The legendary Upstate New York grilling tradition — marinated overnight, grilled to perfection, served on pita.
If you didn't grow up in Binghamton, New York, you might never have heard of a spiedie (pronounced speedy). But if you have, you know — it's one of those regional obsessions that people carry with them for life. Chunks of marinated meat, typically chicken, grilled on skewers and served with fresh bread. Simple. Incredible. Legendary.
The classic spiedie marinade is a bright, herby blend of olive oil, lemon juice, white vinegar, garlic, and a handful of Mediterranean herbs. The acid in the marinade starts to "chemically cook" the meat overnight, so by the time it hits the grill, you're just finishing the job — a few minutes per side and you're done.
"Skip the sandwich bun. Pile this onto a warm pita and you'll wonder why you ever ate it any other way."
— Dad's grilling notesThe original recipe calls for a fresh bread roll — you pull the meat off the skewer right into the bread. That's the authentic Binghamton way. But honestly? Pita is better. It's softer, it wraps around the chicken perfectly, and the whole thing feels more like the Mediterranean-inspired dish it actually is. Don't argue with me on this one.
Everything starts here. This isn't a quick 30-minute soak — you're going overnight, minimum. The combination of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and white vinegar creates an acidic bath that tenderizes the chicken and drives the herb flavors deep into every cube. Garlic, dried parsley, basil, and oregano give it that unmistakable character.
The overnight marinade — the most important step in the whole process.
Whisk everything together, pour it over your diced chicken in a zip-lock bag, and refrigerate. Give it a shake or turn every few hours if you think of it. By morning, that chicken is going to smell absolutely incredible and be ready to take on the grill.
Use a gallon zip-lock bag set inside a bowl. It makes it easy to flip, and the bowl catches any drips. Press out as much air as possible before sealing so the marinade coats every piece of chicken.
After an overnight marinade, your chicken cubes will be coated in that gorgeous herb mixture and ready to thread. If you're using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes first so they don't burn on the grill. Metal skewers work great too and are reusable.
Thread the chicken pieces snugly but not so tight that air can't circulate. You want each cube to cook evenly all the way around. About 5–8 cubes per skewer is perfect — enough to make a satisfying portion without making them unwieldy to flip.
Threaded and ready for the grill — the marinade coats every inch.
Get your grill hot — medium-high heat. Lay the skewers across the grates and let them cook without moving for 3–4 minutes to develop a proper sear. Then flip. Chicken at this size cooks fast, which is exactly what you want — high heat, quick cook time, maximum juiciness.
Left: fresh on the grill — Right: color developing beautifully
Keep turning every few minutes. You're looking for golden-brown color on all sides and firm texture when pressed with tongs. The whole cook should take about 10–15 minutes depending on your grill and the size of your chicken cubes.
No guessing. Get an instant-read thermometer in there. The USDA minimum safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F, and hitting that mark means you'll have perfectly safe, still-juicy chicken. Pull them off exactly at 165°F — they'll carry over a few degrees while they rest.
165°F — the only number that matters. Don't skip the thermometer.
An instant-read thermometer is one of the best investments you can make as a home griller. Insert it into the thickest piece of chicken on the skewer, making sure not to touch the metal skewer itself, which will give a falsely high reading.
Let the skewers rest for 3–5 minutes off the heat. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat so they don't all spill out the moment you bite in. Then load up a warm pita, slide the chicken off the skewer directly onto the bread, and serve.
Ready to serve — golden, herb-crusted, and impossibly juicy.
These are perfect with a simple salad, some tzatziki for dipping, or just as-is with a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top. The whole flavor profile — bright lemon, herbaceous, garlicky — is tailor-made for warm summer evenings and cold beers.
The original Binghamton recipe uses a fresh Italian roll. It's great — but pita gives you a softer wrap that complements the Mediterranean herbs in the marinade, holds the chicken better, and just feels right. Try both and decide for yourself. But you'll end up with pita.