Spicy Chicken Kebab

Chicken kebab is a regular dish served at our table – a favorite of my husband who comes from Southeast Turkey.  The kids also love it, much like they love most foods that come on a stick. And it’s pretty easy to make. So it’s a win-win for a weeknight dinner. 

The ingredients for the marinade should all be staples from your cupboard and fridge, with the exception of pepper paste (aka salça). You can buy this at a Mediterranean grocery store, or you can try substituting with tomato paste and a ½ tsp of crushed red pepper. 

Here’s what you need:

• 1-1.5 lbs chicken thigh or breast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp pepper paste (or tomato paste + ½ tsp crushed red pepper)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 cloves of garlic

Cut your meat into around 1 inch pieces and place into a large bowl. Crush and chop your garlic and add to the bowl. Add in the salt and pepper, yogurt, oil and pepper paste. Mix very well with your hands. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator overnight for best results. If not possible, let marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour. 

Grab your skewers and layer the pieces of meat. Your meat pieces should be similar in size and placed so the meat is flat on the skewers (as pictured above). In other words, don’t skewer by just piercing the center of the meat, stick it through the side so it is flat across the skewer.

Cook on the grill at ~400-425 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with your choice of salad, rice or bulgar pilav, or flat bread.

Print Recipe

Spicy Chicken Kebab

Dinner – Mediterranean, Turkish

By Janice Yucel – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 1 hour - 24 hours – Cooking Time: 10 Minutes – Total Time: 1 hour - 1 day + 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 lbs chicken thigh or breast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp pepper paste (or tomato paste + ½ tsp crushed red pepper)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 cloves of garlic

Instructions

1

Cut your meat into around 1 inch pieces and place into a large bowl.

2

Crush and chop your garlic and add to the bowl.

3

Add in the salt and pepper, yogurt, oil and pepper paste.

4

Mix very well with your hands.

5

Cover and let sit in the refrigerator overnight for best results. If not possible, let marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour. 

6

Grab your skewers and layer the pieces of meat.

7

Cook on the grill at ~400-425 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

8

Serve with your choice of salad, rice or bulgar pilav, or flat bread.