Baked chicken skewers

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.