Recipe

February 4, 2015

Saffron Chicken Kebabs & Cucumber Raita

Recipe: Eric Vellend

Don’t marinate the chicken longer than 8 hours; prolonged exposure to the acids in the marinade can turn the meat mushy.

Ingredients

 Chicken Kebabs

  • Large pinch saffron
  • 2 tbsp hot water
  • 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 ½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½”chunks
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Raita

  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large English cucumber, seeded, sliced on bias
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (low-fat is fine)
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
  • Flatbreads (pita or naan) and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

  1. To make kebabs, soak 8 10″ wood skewers in water at least 1 hour. In large bowl, soak saffron in 2 tbsp hot water. Cool completely. Whisk in yogurt, garlic, ginger, oil and lemon juice. Add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Thread chicken onto skewers. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours.
  2. To make raita, combine onion and lemon juice in mixing bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in cucumber, yogurt and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Cover. Refrigerate up to 2 hours.
  3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Clean and oil grate. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 12 minutes. (TIP: Lay a strip of aluminum foil along bottom of grate to protect exposed bottoms of skewers from burning.)
  4. Serve chicken with raita, flatbreads and lime wedges.
Photographer:

Yvonne Duivenvoorden

Source:

House & Home June 2014

Tags: Kebabs Recipe