Baked chicken skewers, succulent, flavorful kabab made with boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked and browned to perfection in the oven.
A lip smacking yummy Middle Eastern fare that gets ready in 40 minutes. Served with a green coriander dip some cut veggies store-bought naan and white rice.
Few secrets for getting the baked chicken skewers right every time:
Tender baked chicken (secrets)
- Marinating the chicken breast pieces in a moisture filled yogurt based marinade is crucial. Yogurt tenderizes the meat very mildly and efficiently than dry ones. Citrus based acidic marinades toughen the chicken breast pieces making it tough and rubbery.
- Do not pack the skewers tightly it prevent the meat from even cooking.
- Slide the skewers through the flat side so maximum surface has a chance to cook from direct heat.
- Brushing intense flavors on the chicken in the last 15 minutes will give intended results vs charring the spices if added in the beginning. This is applicable to colored spices like paprika or other chili based marinades.
- Removing from the oven as soon as the chicken is cooked is very important.
- Final brushing with olive oil locks in the moisture and prevents the meat from drying out as it sits.
Baking tray and skewers :
- Use a baking tray that has deep rim so the skewer ends can rest on it while the meat is still suspended. This allows hot air to circulate in all directions around the meat resulting in an evenly cooked chicken.
- If the chicken is allowed to sit inside the tray the excess liquid does not get a chance to evaporate and give even browning.
- If you have metal skewers you are covered but if you have the wooden skewers then soaking them by immersing in water for at least one hour will prevent it from burning when cooking in such high heat.
What to serve the baked chicken with :
The options are endless but here are some recommendations.
- Carrot peas pilaf : A rice cooker dump and go recipe that comes together with least effort.
- Brussels sprouts : Flavorful green, nothing over powering.
- Watermelon salad :Sweet watermelon with tangy feta will compliment the flavors of chicken.
- Salad choices : plenty here
Baked chicken skewers
A 40 minutes dinner idea from the Middle East
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3 Chicken breasts Each one cut into 6 pieces
1 st marinade
- 1 tsp Pepper powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 juice of 1 Lemon
- 4 -5 tsp Yogurt
- Salt to taste
2 nd marinade
- 1 tsp Paprika powder
- 4 tsp Olive oil
- 2 tsp Olive oil - For final brushing
Veggies for skewer
- 1/2 each Bell peppers different colors cut into square
- 1/2 Red onion cut into square
For dipping sauce
- small bunch Coriander leaves chopped
- 1/2 of 1 Green chili chopped
- 1/2 of 1 Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3-4 tsp Greek yogurt
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken pieces with the ingredients given in 1 st marinade and refrigerate over night.
- One hour before cooking:Immerse the wooden skewers in water. Leave aside.Half hour before cooking bring the chicken to room temperature and skewer the chicken
- Alternate a piece of chicken with a piece of vegetable. NOTE: Do not thickly pack pieces. It will not cook evenlyInsert skewer through the flat side so that more surface is exposed to heat
- Preheat oven and bake at 400 ° F for 35 minutes After first 20 minutes take the chicken out apply the 2 nd marinade evenly with a brush on all sides return to oven for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately brush olive oil on the pieces very lightly so the chicken doesn't dry out. Rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately with dipping sauce , Naan , rice and other salads.
Dipping sauce
- Grind all the ingredients given in the ingredients list and pour into individual serving containers for ease of dipping chicken or naan as per liking.
Rice
- Cook half a cup of fast cooking white rice. Or use left over rice if you have.
Video
Notes
Adding too much acidic elements like tomato paste lime juice and vinegar etc will toughen the meat.
Remove chicken from oven once cooked loosely cover and keep until served.
Nutrition
Calories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 37gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 335mgPotassium: 782mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 544IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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