Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab
Tender marinated chicken threaded onto skewers and grilled until charred and juicy. A classic Turkish street food with warm spices, lemon, and garlic.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 whole onion, medium
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then place them on a cutting board. Slice each breast lengthwise into three long strips about 0.75 inches wide, cutting parallel to the cutting board surface.
- 2
Cut each chicken strip crosswise into 1.5-inch cubes, like cutting a log into rounds. You should have roughly 16–20 pieces total.
- 3
Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 4
Slice the onion in half from root to tip, then peel away the papery skin. Lay each half flat and slice lengthwise into three thick wedges.
- 5
Pour 0.33 cup olive oil into a medium bowl, then squeeze in 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Stir them together with a fork until combined.
- 6
Add the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon paprika, 0.5 teaspoon cumin, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper to the oil mixture. Stir with a fork until the spices are evenly distributed, about 30 seconds.
- 7
Place the chicken cubes in a large bowl or a 1-gallon zip-lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and stir or shake until every piece is coated in marinade.
- 8
Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. If using the refrigerator, remove it 10 minutes before grilling.
- 9
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes so they don't char on the grill. Metal skewers do not need soaking.
- 10
Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto the skewers, alternating with onion wedges—chicken, onion, chicken, onion—until all pieces are used, about 4–5 pieces of chicken per skewer.
- 11
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. You'll know it's ready when you can hold your hand 2 inches above the grates for only 2–3 seconds before it feels too hot.
- 12
Carefully lay the skewers on the hot grill with space between them. You should hear a loud sizzle when they touch the grates.
- 13
Cook without moving the skewers for 2 minutes until the bottom surface of the chicken turns golden brown with charred edges.
- 14
Rotate each skewer one quarter turn (90 degrees) so a new side of the chicken faces the heat. Cook for 2 more minutes until that side is also golden brown.
- 15
Rotate again one quarter turn and cook for 2 more minutes. Then rotate one final time and cook for 2 minutes. Total cooking time is about 8 minutes—the chicken should be cooked through.
- 16
Pierce the thickest piece of chicken with a fork or knife tip—it should be opaque white inside with no pink, and juices should run clear.
- 17
Carefully slide the chicken and onion off the skewers onto a serving plate or platter. Serve hot.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- paper towels
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- medium bowl
- fork
- large bowl or 1-gallon zip-lock bag
- metal or wooden skewers (8–10 skewers, 10-inch length)
- grill or grill pan
- long tongs
- meat fork or instant-read thermometer
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