Here’s an easy and delicious Turkish chicken shish kebab recipe ideal for cooking on the stove top grill or BBQ.
The weather in Turkey is warming up nicely. The t-shirts and flip-flops have now been taken out of storage and the terrace cleared of the accumulated dust and sand from over the winter. That means one thing – it’s time for the first BBQ of the season. One great bonus of owning or renting a property in Turkey is the chance to enjoy the outdoors. The chance to have a few friends over, open a few beers or a bottle of wine and throw a lazy afternoon BBQ.
Turks are the masters of barbecue!
Throwing a BBQ is an integral part of Turkish culture. Many would say the Americans are masters of the grill. We disagree. As those that have visited Turkey will know, it’s the Turks that do it best! Forget your English or American sausage and hamburger affairs, in Turkey it’s a far tastier feast of kofte (meatballs), grilled veggies, marinated chicken and lamb, fresh fish or kebabs.
If you don’t fancy preparing the BBQ yourself, almost all restaurant menus will have a grill section. Most towns and resorts also have special BBQ restaurants like Cin Bal here in Fethiye’s Kayakoy. Here you order your meat, salads, meze’s, take your seat and have a piping hot grill brought to your table. You then cook your choice whilst enjoying company, a few drinks (maybe a little Raki) and while away a good few hours lazily grazing and ordering more food as you go along. Failing that, head to the supermarket, pick up some chicken and try your hand and our tasty marinated Turkish chicken shish kebab recipe. This is a recipe from my Turkish mother in law. She cooks it up regularly either on a stove top grill or on the BBQ. It’s a hit with all the family, especially served up with a little Turkish rice, some pide bread and a fresh salad.
Tasty Turkish chicken shish kebab recipe (Serves 3/4)
Ingredients:
1 kg Chicken (breasts or thighs chopped into bite size chunks)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Cup natural Turkish yogurt
1.5 Teaspoons paprika
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/2 Teaspoon pul biber (Red pepper flakes – increase if you like it hot)
4 Cloves garlic, crushed and minced
Zest and juice of a small lemon
Handful of parsley, finely chopped
Salt and Black Pepper
Selection of vegetables (mushrooms, red onion, cherry tomatoes, peppers – whatever you fancy cut into bite size pieces)
BBQ Skewers (you can buy wooden ones from most larger supermarkets)
Method:
- Prepare the chicken and vegetable kebabs. Chop the veggies into bite size chunks and chicken into pieces taking off any excess fat. Thread these onto the skewers, don’t cram them too close together, just touching is fine. Lay them out on a baking sheet covered in foil (you will probably have around 10 – 12 skewers depending on how many vegetables you are using).
- Prepare the marinade. Mix the yogurt, olive oil, cinnamon, pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, garlic and chopped parsley with a good pinch of salt and pepper in a good sized mixing bowl. Coat the kebabs with the marinade. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Pop on the grill. Having brought the BBQ up to a good heat, brush the grate with a little vegetable oil then pick up the kebabs letting any excess marinade drip off. Carefully place them on the grill. Leave for a few minutes and then turn. Cook for around 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Plate it up. These Turkish chicken shish kebabs are excellent served up with Turkish rice, a few meze’s, some Turkish flat bread and a mixed salad.
Additional Notes:
To oven cook: These kebabs can easily be cooked in the oven on a greased baking sheet or on a greased stove top grill. Simply put the oven or grill on medium high and cook for around 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
We hope you enjoy our latest recipe. Let us know what you think.
To view other recipes, please see our Food and Drink section. To see our current selection of properties in Turkey, please see Oceanwide Properties. To sign up and receive our posts as they are published, please enter your details in the box on the right.
