Name: Turkish Chicken Kabobs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 medium onions, roughly chopped; 3 garlic cloves, smashed; 1 kg (2 lbs.) chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized pieces; 1 tsp salt; Juice of one large lemon; 125ml (1/2 cup) onion and garlic juice; 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, whisked; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp red pepper paste; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp sumac; 2 tsp ground black pepper; 2 tsp paprika; 1 tbsp aleppo chilli flakes or powder; 1 tsp dried oregano

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Easy and delicious… Give these Turkish chicken kebabs a try soon!

You will find many kebab recipes on my blog because I love them. These Turkish chicken kebabs are right up there with the best of them. The recipe is simple and also very quick to throw together. I do recommend, marinating the chicken for about 24 hours but you could cook these Turkish chicken kebabs after about 30 minutes in the marinade. Longer marination does have its flavour benefits though.

About this recipe for Turkish chicken kebabs

Turkish chicken kebabs, known as tavuk şiş, have several distinct characteristics that set them apart from other types of kebabs. You might notice that they are very much like Indian and Pakistani kebabs but they are differently spiced and have a flavour all their own.

Just like with other styles of kebabs, these Turkish chicken kebabs are best when you marinate them for 24 to 48 hours.

What is different about Turkish chicken kebabs?

Just like other kebabs, these Turkish chicken kebabs are marinated in lemon juice, yoghurt and spices like paprika and cumin. In addition, it is very common to see other ingredients in a Turkish chicken kebab marinade such as sumac and olive oil.

Local ingredients like these give the kebabs their distinct flavour. Turkish chicken kebabs are also not nearly as spicy as Indian or Pakistani. The addition of Allepo chilli powder or pul biber give the kebabs a spicy kick but Allepo chilli powder is not really spicy.

If you like your kebabs spicy, you could add more chilli powder of your choice and to taste. In addition to all these ingredients, the use of dry and fresh herbs like parsley, oregano and thyme are used just like they are all over the Middle East.

How do you cook Turkish chicken kebabs?

For best and more traditional tasting results, you should cook your Turkish chicken kebabs on metal skewers (şiş) over a charcoal grill. This method imparts a subtle smokiness that is a hallmark of Turkish kebabs, contributing to their delicious flavour.

This time I cooked mine in my Doori tandoor which works perfectly well and does the same job. You can use either. Cooking over charcoal on metal skewers or in a tandoor gives the chicken an amazing char while also tender.

How do you serve Turkish chicken kebabs?

Any way you like! Turkish kebabs are typically served with fresh, light accompaniments such as rice pilaf, grilled vegetables, flatbread like lavash or pita, and a variety of salads.

It’s common to see them garnished with lemon slices and parsley, offering a refreshing balance to the grilled flavours.

Step by step photographs.

The ingredients for the recipe prepared and ready.

Get all your ingredients together before starting.

The onions and garlic in a blender ready to blend to a paste.

Place the onion and 3 cloves garlic in a food processor and blend to a thick paste. Try not to add any liquid unless you need to with your food processor. If you must, only a drop!

Running the blended onion and garlic paste through a sieve to get the juice out.

Run the blended onion and garlic paste through a sieve to extract the juice. You will need about 125ml (1/2 cup) of liquid.

Adding lemon juice and salt to the chicken pieces in a mixing bowl.

Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces. Place in a mixing bowl and add the salt and lemon juice. Rub this in to completely coat the meat.

Placing the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl to whisk.

Pour the onion and garlic juice into a bowl with the remaining marinade ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Marinating the chicken in the marinade in a mixing bowl.

Add this marinade to the chicken and be sure to rub the marinade right into the flesh of the chicken.

The marinated chicken on skewers, ready to cook.

When ready to cook, skewer the chicken pieces by weaving the skewers through.

The chicken skewers cooking in a tandoor oven.

Place the chicken skewers over hot coals or in a hot tandoor and cook , turning regularly for about 10 minutes.

Basting the chicken with marinade as it cooks.

When the chicken is almost cooked through and charred, baste the chicken with the leftover marinade.

The cooked Turkish chicken kabobs on a tandoor, ready to serve.

The chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and is nicely charred on the exterior.

Turkish chicken kabobs on a serving plate with salad and sauces.

Serve your Turkish chicken kabobs with salad and the sauces of your choice.

Turkish chicken kabob meat wrapped in a pita with salad and sauces.

These Turkish chicken kabobs are also delicious wrapped in pitas.

If you like these Turkish chicken kebabs, you might like to try some of these other Turkish recipes!

Have you tried this recipe for Turkish chicken kebabs?

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Yield: 4

Turkish Chicken Kabobs

Experience the flavours of these delicious Turkish chicken kebabs. Quick and easy to make. You will love these tender and smoky kebabs.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 medium onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 kg (2 lbs.) chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp salt
Juice of one large lemon
125ml (1/2 cup) onion and garlic juice
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, whisked
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red pepper paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp aleppo chilli flakes or powder
1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces. Place in a mixing bowl and add the salt and lemon juice. Rub this in to completely coat the meat.
Place the onion and garlic in a food processor and blend to a thick paste. Try not to add any liquid unless you need to with your food processor. If you must, only a drop!
Place the blended garlic and onion in a thin, clean cloth or a fine mesh strainer and squeeze the juices out of the paste. You will need about 125ml (1/2 cup) of juice. Discard the solids. If you have more onion and garlic juice than you need, you can freeze it for up to 3 months, ready for the next time you prepare this recipe.
Pour the onion and garlic juice over the chicken and add the remaining marinade ingredients. Really rub this marinade into the flesh and then allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. The longer the better.
When ready to cook, build a direct heat fire in your barbecue. I usually use about one charcoal basket of charcoal. I recommend using lump wood charcoal that has not been treated with lighter fluid.
When it is uncomfortably hot to hold your hand two inches above cooking heat for longer than two seconds, your coals are ready to start cooking.
Skewer the chicken onto your skewers by weaving them through. Don't just stick the skewers straight through the chicken or they will not be secure and will not turn when you turn your skewers.
Place the chicken skewers over the fire and cook for about 10 minutes or until cooked through and charred in place. Baste the chicken a few times with the melted butter during cooking. (SEE NOTES FOR COOKING IN A TANDOOR.)
When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it all to a clean surface and eat as it is with salad and your choice of sauces or wrap it all up in pitas or lavash bread.

Notes

TANDOOR COOKING METHOD.

How hot?

Tandoor ovens vary and most take longer to heat up than the Doori tandoor I used for this recipe. You wan to get the oven really hot. I cooked my chicken at 300°C/600°F but you could go hotter. To do this, I use just over one chimney basket full of charcoal and add to that as needed.

Skewering the meat.

Be sure to weave the meat onto the skewer. Many people simply stick the skewer straight through. By weaving it, the chicken will be much more secure and stay in place. Be sure to also skewer a potato at the bottom of the skewer. At least two inches of the end of the skewer needs to be visible. The point of the skewer should be touching the coals, not the potato.

To cook.

Place the skewers in the tandoor and close the lid loosely. Allow to cook in the tandoori until charred in places and cooked through. Be sure to baste the chicken toward the end of cooking with any leftover marinade.

Turkish Chicken Kebabs