As the weather gets warmer, my cooking starts to move away from using the oven and more toward grilling. I love the slightly smoky, slightly charred taste of meat and vegetables as they come off an outdoor grilling rack.
In keeping with my Mediterranean Menu theme, it was a no-brainer to serve grilled chicken kebabs as the main dish. Not only are kebabs easy to make for a crowd, they're quick to grill, they taste fantastic and the leftovers are fabulous in shawarma the next day.
My favourite way to cook chicken kebabs, begins with a simple yogurt marinade for the chicken. The calcium and lactic acid in the yogurt break down the proteins in the meat, leaving a melt-in-your mouth, juicy, tender piece of poultry. My mouth is totally watering as I write this!
In most cases, marinating chicken is much quicker than marinating other meats, such as beef or pork. Chicken, should marinate anywhere from 2-6 hours max. Over-marinating chicken can lead to some pretty strong flavours and mushy meat. So stick to a "less is more" frame of mind when dealing with chicken.
To add a Mediterranean flare to these kebabs, I added za'atar. Za'atar is a middle eastern spice blend made up of a combination of dried thyme, oregano and marjoram, with toasted sesame seeds and salt. Other spices, such as sumac can also be added to the mix depending on where you purchase the za'atar mix from. You can easily make it yourself, or you can simply find it at the grocery store. Za'atar has such a wonderful flavour, aroma and it is so versatile. It can be used on meats, sandwiches, in dips and on top of everything - including herb roasted potatoes, coming soon to the blog!
If you are making this for a crowd, this recipe can easily be doubled.
Happy Grilling!
Enjoy,
Krista
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
1 tbsp za'atar spice
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp thyme leaves, fresh
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1/4 tsp sumac (optional)
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1" cubes
lemon slices and wheels, to finish
*you will need soaked wooden or metal pin skewers to cook the kebabs on the grill
Method
Add za'atar, oregano and thyme to a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp of hot water and mix. Let paste bloom for 2 minutes to hydrate and bring our natural flavours in the spices. Add yogurt, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, sumac, lemon juice to spice mixture and stir. Add in chicken cubes. Marinate for 3-6 hours in the refrigerator. If using wooden skewers, soak them fully submerged in water, while chicken marinates.
One hour prior to cooking, remove chicken from the refrigerator. Let meat come to room temperature. Prior to serving, thread chicken cubes onto skewers, dabbing away excess marinade. Discard marinade after removing chicken.
Heat an outdoor grill to medium temperature heat. Place kebabs on a greased grill, cooking for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on grill and size of kebab. The meat should easily release from the grills when it is cooked. I found the chicken stuck a bit where I did not dab off the excess marinade, so give it a wiggle if it's cooked and not releasing. Let kebabs rest for about 5 minutes after taking them off the grill, then serve with a squeeze of lemon wedge and add a lemon wheel to garnish.
Check out the other recipes in my Father's Day Mediterranean Menu on the blog! If you try these don't forget to let me know what you think of them at #mykuratedlife .
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