Spicy Chicken Kebabs
with Dill Rice
Just about every cuisine in the world has a version of cooking “stuff on a skewer.” That’s hardly surprising, given that the very first attempts at cooking would have been holding meat that had been hunted over an open flame of a campfire.
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This recipe is inspired by some of the kebabs my wife and I sampled during our travels to the Middle East -- spicy and delicious.
Spicy Chicken Kebabs with Dill Rice Recipe
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(Serves About 4)
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Ingredients​
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For the Chicken:
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6 Chicken Thighs (Boneless, Skinless and Cut into 1-inch Pieces)
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1 Large White Onion
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½ Cup Whole Milk Yogurt
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1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
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1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
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2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
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2-Inches Fresh Ginger (Minced)
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1 Pinch Saffron (Bloomed in Water)
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1 Lemon (Juice and Zest)
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1 Pinch Kosher Salt
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1 Pinch Ground Black Pepper
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¼ Cup Fresh Italian Parsley (Finely Chopped)
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1 Lemon for Garnish
For the Dill Rice:
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2 Cups Basmati Rice
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½ Cup Fresh Dill (Finely Chopped)
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½ Stick Butter (Chopped into Cubes)
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Kosher Salt
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Ground Black Pepper
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Instructions
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For the Chicken:
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Combine all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl to form a marinade.
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Add the chicken and massage well with the marinade.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
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Peel the onion and cut into large chunks.
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When ready to cook, place a chunk of onion onto a skewer. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them first so they don’t burn.
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Then place 4-6 pieces of chicken on to the skewer.
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Finally place another chunk of onion.
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Do this with all skewers until the chicken is all used up.
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Broil the skewers until the chicken comes to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Allow to rest for 3-5 minutes under foil, reserving all of the juices.
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For the Dill Rice:
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Cook the Basmati according to instructions.
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While the rice is cooking, chop the dill as finely as you can, and place in a large bowl.
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Once the rice is cooked, place in the bowl with the dill and with the cubed butter.
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Toss together until the dill is evenly distributed and the butter had melted into the rice.
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Season with salt and pepper.
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To Serve:
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Spread the dill rice on a large flat serving platter.
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Lay the skewers on top of the rice and dribble the reserved juices over the chicken.
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Serve with quarters of lemon, some Raita (yogurt dipping sauce with mint and cucumber), and a Kachumber salad (made with tomatoes and cucumber).
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