Chicken Kebabs Middle Eastern Food

CHICKEN KEBABS

Steps:

• Mix the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, oregano, coriander, paprika, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until fully blended. Add the chicken and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill for cooking over medium-high heat. Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked skewers, about 5 pieces per skewer, taking care not to pack the chicken pieces too tightly.
• Grill the skewers until the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees F), about 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN KEBABS - MIDDLE EASTERN

Steps:

• 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.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN KEBABS IN HONEY-SOY MARINADE

Steps:

• In a bowl mix oil, honey, soy sauce, cumin, cayenne and pepper. Set a small amount of the marinade aside for basting later on. Then add the meat, veggies and garlic and let them marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The longer the better.
• Discard the marinade and put meat and veggies onto skewers. If you use wooden ones, first soak them in lemon water to prevent burning.
• Grill on the BBQ for 12-15 minutes or until done. Keepturning and basting with the marinade you set aside earlier.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN KEBABS (SHISH TAWOOK)

Steps:

• Add all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Heat the grill or grill pan onto medium-high heat.
• Skewer onto a metal skewer (make sure to leave a bit of space between the chunks of chicken).
• Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You'll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kabobs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kabobs until golden brown and cooked through, turning the skewers occasionally, 13 to 15 minutes. (The yogurt marinade makes these kabobs prone to sticking to the grill grates; if necessary, use a metal BBQ spatula to scrape underneath the kabobs and release them.) Transfer the kabobs to a platter and serve.
• Note: I've specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe; they're juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts, and they work better in this type of yogurt and lemon-based marinade. They're also much easier to cook without drying out.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN SKEWERS

Steps:

• If using bamboo skewers, place them in a shallow bowl of water to soak. Coat grill grates with oil or high-heat cooking spray.
• Heat the grill on high ( or load with charcoal & start fire to grey-coated coals & hot heat).
• In a large zip-close plastic bag, combine the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, mustard powder and salt. Close the bag and shake to blend the seasonings.
• Place the chicken in the bag, then add the olive oil.
• Close the bag, gently pressing out any air.
• Gently knead the chicken, working the seasonings and oil so it thoroughly coats all of the meat. (I plan to toss it in the fridge overnight at this point).
• Place a chicken tender on each skewer. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the meat reaches at least 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

MIDDLE EASTERN KEBABS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let rest in the refrigerator for about a half an hour.
• Form into sausage like shapes and thread onto skewers.
• Heat oil on griddle over medium heat and fry the kebabs, turning until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes depending on thickness.
• Alternatively, you can grill the skewers (be sure to soak the skewers first if they are made of bamboo).
• Serve with lebne (cucumber, yogurt and mint sauce), or sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

CHICKEN KABOBS IN A MIDDLE EASTERN MARINADE

Steps:

• Puree the garlic, onion, spices, lemon juice and yogurt in the container of a blender or food processor.
• Place the chicken in a non-aluminum container and cover with the marinade. Turn well to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the broiler or make a charcoal fire.
• Thread the chicken on skewers, brush with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 4 to 5 minutes per side for thigh meat, 3 to 4 minutes per side for breast meat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

MIDDLE EASTERN MARINADE FOR CHICKEN KEBABS

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients in small bowl.