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–+ servings
Skewered chicken kebabs on a plate with turmeric rice.

Chicken Kebabs - Middle Eastern

Author: Veena Azmanov
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Marinating Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Calories: 163kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 4 servings

Description

A great recipe for chicken kebabs that are tender and full of Middle Eastern spice. This healthy recipe is both tasty and simple. Served over turmeric rice but also perfect with pita bread and hummus

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb (500 g) Chicken Boneless thighs or breast

FOR THE MARINADE

  • ¼ cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon Ginger powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cayenne hot or mild
  • 1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Pepper

VEGGIES

  • 1 cup Onion chopped and layers separated
  • 20 Cherry tomatoes

For grilling

  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil

Instructions

  • Prep Chicken - Clean and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Pat dry on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
    Pro tip - Cut the chicken into about 1-inch pieces as too large will keep the chicken raw in the middle. Also, make sure the chicken is dry so the marinade will stick to it.
  • Prep Veggies - Cut vegetables also into small pieces similar to the chicken. Cut each onion into quarters. Do the same with the tomatoes if using large tomatoes.
    Pro tip - Prepare the veggies no more than 4 hours before cooking so they stay fresh. I like to add the chicken marinade into my veggies as well so they pick up flavor from the chicken.
  • Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes at least.
    Pro tip - Soaking the skewers in water will prevent them from burning on the grill so do not skip this step.
  • Marinade - Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces. Cover and set aside to marinate for an hour on the counter or up to 12 hours in the fridge. Thaw it an hour before cooking.
    Pro tip - I like to combine the salt, pepper, and lemon juice to the chicken first, and the yogurt at the end but you can add everything in all at once.
  • Skewer - Thread the chicken and vegetable pieces alternating each other. I prefer one piece of chicken one piece veggie or sometimes 1 piece of chicken and two pieces of veggies.
    Pro tip - The skewers can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 4 hours.
  • Grill - Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat. Place a few skewers at a time - do not overcrowd the grill. Brush each skewer with cooking oil.
    Pro tip - The char marks on the chicken can be controlled by raising and lowing the heat under the grill.
  • Let cook for at least 3 minutes before you try to move it. When it's done on one side it will release from the pan. Turn to the other side and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
    Pro tip - As a guide, each skewer with chicken breast takes 5 to 6 minutes to cook on all sides. Skewer with chicken thigh meat will take about 8 to 10 minutes on all sides.
  • Serve with fragrant rice or pita bread with tahini and hummus.

Recipe Notes

  • Use boneless chicken breast or thighs. Do not cut the chicken into large or too small pieces. Large pieces will not cook towards the center and small pieces will dry out easily. 
  • Keep the veggies the same size as the chicken so they cook around the same time. 
  • Always try to marinate as long as possible. Preferably overnight. This will not only add flavor but also tenderize the meat making it cook easily. 
  • Use veggies that cook around the same time like tomatoes, zucchini, onions, peppers. Other veggies can be used but will need to be parboiled then skewered so they don't stay raw. For example, you can use sweet potato or cauliflower but parboil then cut them into pieces. 
  • Make sure the grill is HOT before you start grilling otherwise the meat will stew and all the marinade will get wasted on the pan. Instead, you want a nice hot grill so the meat sears instantly holding on to its marinade. The charred marks are what add a nice smokey flavor so make sure to get some. 
  • Don't make haste to turn the meat quickly on the grill. If the meat is stuck to the pan it meats needs a minute more. Leave it alone and come back to it when it is ready. Otherwise, you will lose good meat stuck to the pan. 

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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