Recipe: Marinated Chicken Kebabs

Marinated Chicken Kebabs

Makes 12 to 15 kebabs; serves 6 to 8 with rice

Persian chelo rice is often eaten with grilled lamb or chicken kebabs. These savory chicken kebabs are marinated in a blend of yogurt, garlic, saffron, and dried mint before being grilled over charcoal or broiled. Easy and delicious. Serve these with a plate of fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, flat-leaf parsley) and Special Everyday Persian Rice, Everyday Persian Rice, or any cooked long-grain rice. You might want to offer Oasis Salad as an accompaniment.

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or a combination

Marinated Chicken Kebabs Marinade
1 cup plain yogurt (whole milk or 2%)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, dry-toasted, crushed to a powder, and dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon crushed dried mint (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut the chicken into small pieces, 1/2-inch cubes or smaller, discarding any fat or tough connective tissue.

Combine the yogurt with the remaining marinade ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Place the chicken pieces in a shallow bowl, pour the marinade over, and stir to ensure that all of the chicken is well coated. Let stand, refrigerated, for at least 3 hours or as long as 24 hours.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill or a broiler.

Thread chicken pieces onto metal skewers. Place only a few pieces of chicken on each skewer, and don't cram the pieces together tightly. (If they are packed together, rather than just lightly touching, they will not cook evenly.)

Grill or broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat, turning the skewers after 3 minutes, for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

From:
Seductions of Rice
By Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Artisan
October 1998
Nearly 200 recipes, 480 pages
Hardcover, jacketed, $35.00
ISBN 1-57965-113-5
Reprinted by permission.