chicken kebabs (easy and flexible)
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb [1.1 kg] boneless chicken breasts, thighs, or tenderloins
- Salt
- 1/3 cup [80g] Greek yogurt*
- 2 Tbsp [12g] sweet paprika
- 2 tsp [4g] baharat, garam masala, or other spice blend**
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 crushed garlic cloves
- The zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 red onion, diced very coarsely (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch [4 cm] cubes and place in a medium mixing bowl. Coat the chicken evenly with 1 1/4 tsp [7 g] salt.*** Let it sit for 5 minutes before proceeding. Salting it first will help it stay juicy.
- If you plan to cook them right away, preheat your oven’s broiler to its highest setting or your grill to medium-high (brush your grill grates with a thin layer of oil first).
- Top the chicken with the yogurt, paprika, spice blend, garlic, and lemon zest and juice. Mix together until coated evenly.
- Skewer the chicken, alternating each piece of chicken with a piece of onion.
- If you’re making them ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight and preheat your broiler or grill the next day. If you’re making them now, proceed.
- For grilling: Place on the grill, cover, and cook for about 10-15 minutes for breasts (15-18 minutes for thighs), flipping once halfway through. They’re ready to flip once the first side is caramelized and a little charred. If they caramelize too quickly, turn the heat down.
For broiling: Place on a aluminum foil-lined aluminum sheet pan. Place under your oven’s broiler and cook for about 10-17 minutes for breasts (15-20 minutes for thighs), flipping once halfway through. If they caramelize too quickly, turn the heat down. - The chicken is done once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F [74°C] for breasts, 185°F [85°C] for thighs.
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Notes
* Omit the yogurt if you want to make this dairy free (and add just enough lemon juice to make a paste with the spices that will cling to the chicken without washing off—you may need more or less than is listed in the recipe), or substitute a plain, unsweetened dairy free yogurt.
** You can use any savory spice blend. If you don’t have a spice blend on hand, you can use a combination of cumin, black pepper, and a tiny bit of cardamom or cinnamon.
*** If you need to cut back on salt for health or personal preference, feel free to. Salt helps chicken stay juicy, so you will need to be more careful not to overcook it if you use less.