Turkish chicken shish kebab

Name: Turkish chicken shish kebab
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Turkish recipes
Ingredients: 1 large onion, quartered; 3 garlic cloves; Large pinch ground turmeric; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 200ml natural yogurt or whole milk; 1 tbsp paprika (not smoked); 2 tsp salt; 4 large British free-range chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks; Vegetable oil to grease; Dried oregano and sumac for sprinkling; Serving suggestions; Lemon wedges, pickles, flatbreads, yogurt, chilli sauce, tomato salad

11 Reviews

Portion size: Serves 4
Hands on time 20 min, grilling time 10 min, plus marinating
Difficulty: easy

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Marinated meat, spices, sharp pickles and citrus, offset with a hint of smokiness – this chicken shish kebab recipe is hold-me-back good.

Want to try something a little different? How about our Moroccan shish sesame skewers made with lamb.

Before you start

Using yogurt to marinate meat – especially chicken – works so well for three reasons. First, the yogurt calcium, enzymes and acids begin to break down the proteins of the meat, making it more tender. Second, the yogurt forms a sort of crust around the meat as it cooks, locking in moisture. Third, yogurt is a great vehicle for other flavours, evenly distributing spices and aromatics over every part of the meat.

Always try to marinate meat for the full suggested time – it really does make a huge difference to the final flavour and texture. However, don’t take it over 24 hours, as the aforementioned tenderising properties of yogurt can go too far and start to turn the chicken stringy.

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Ingredients

1 large onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
Large pinch ground turmeric
2 tbsp tomato purée
200ml natural yogurt or whole milk
1 tbsp paprika (not smoked)
2 tsp salt
4 large British free-range chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
Vegetable oil to grease
Dried oregano and sumac for sprinkling

Serving suggestions

Lemon wedges, pickles, flatbreads, yogurt, chilli sauce, tomato salad

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Method

Put the onion and garlic in a food processor and whizz to a very fine pulp. Transfer to a sieve lined with a clean J-cloth and set over a large bowl. Bring the cloth around the pulp and squeeze to extract as much juice as you can (it’s best to wear rubber gloves for this, to protect your hands from the smell). Discard the pulp (or save for a tomato sauce base), then mix the juices with the turmeric, tomato purée, yogurt (or milk), paprika and salt. Add the chicken and coat well. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 (see Make Ahead).
If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water to stop them burning. Heat the grill to as high as it will go (or see tips). Thread the chicken onto 4-8 metal or wooden skewers, depending on how long they are. Line a baking tray with foil and drizzle with a little oil, then lay the chicken skewers on top. Grill for 10 minutes or until the chicken is blackened and completely cooked through (no need to turn it). Scatter with oregano and sumac, then serve immediately with your choice of accompaniments.

Nutrition

260kcals Calories
4g (1.6g saturated) Fat
46.3g Protein
8.3g (7.6g sugars) Carbs
2.7g Fibre
2.8g Salt

Quick wins & tips

To cook without skewers, fry the chicken in a splash of oil in a large pan for 4-5 minutes, moving the pieces only occasionally so they blacken. You can also cook the kebabs on a griddle or barbecue, turning them halfway through.

Watch our recipe video to see how to make Turkish chicken shish kebab:

You can also see the method in this video by home appliance brand Fisher & Paykel:

Make Ahead

The chicken tastes best marinated overnight, but even 1 hour will give flavour.

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Reviews

kaynkay415@gmail.com

5th Jan 2024 a 6:45 pm

So easy and taste so authentic in my opinion. Kids loved them and they are so easy to serve with cool yogurt mint sauce and ramp up the heat with a spicy sauce. Love them with pitta and salad or with rice. Defo love the pickled veggies on the side and 100% 24hour marinade for best results.

Thea Everett

9th Jan 2024 a 9:58 am

Thanks Karyn! We’re so pleased you enjoyed the recipe.