Brine the chicken fillets (optional). Place the chicken fillets in a bowl with an 8% brine solution – 80 grams salt dissolved in 1 litre of water. Cover with cling film and put it in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
Before beginning you can also submerge the wooden skewers in cold water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning.
Remove the chicken fillets from the brine (if using). Pat them dry and chop them into cubes about 2 x 2 cm (1 inch) in size. Place the pieces in a mixing bowl.
Add the crushed garlic cloves, juice of 1 lemon, oil, honey, paprika and fresh thyme leaves along with some salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed over the chicken pieces.
Start threading the chicken pieces onto the wooden skewers, about 5-7 pieces per skewer.
You can then cook the chicken kebabs in one of two ways: either in the oven or in a frying pan.
To oven cook: place the kebabs in an oven dish and cook for 20 minutes at 180°C (350°F) fan setting. You can turn them over halfway through the cooking time.
To cook in the frying pan: place the kebabs in a shallow pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side until brown and cooked through. It’s important for all the pieces to touch the pan or to be laid flat on the pan if possible – so that they’re all cooked evenly. Check that the chicken pieces are cooked through before serving.
Prepare your sides by slicing the tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. For the pita breads you can brush them with oil, thyme leaves, salt and pepper and pan fry them for a minute on each side until golden.
When you’re ready to serve, place your chicken kebab inside the toasted pita. Fold the pita in half and hold it tightly while you remove the wooden skewer from the chicken pieces. Add your favourite toppings, drizzle with tzatziki and enjoy while warm.