Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Lemon and Garlic

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Chicken breast gets a bad reputation on the grill, but a thick yogurt-lemon-garlic marinade fixes that: the yogurt's gentle acidity and calcium tenderize the meat while the milk solids brown into a light char. These cook indoors on a ripping-hot grill pan or under the broiler in about 10 minutes, then rest on the skewers so the juices settle back in. Serve with warm flatbread, a garlicky yogurt sauce, and a sharp herb salad.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 6 clove garlic, finely grated or minced
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

• 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges and separated into 2-layer pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/4-inch squares
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the pan
• 8 metal skewers, or bamboo skewers soaked 30 minutes

• 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or mint
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp water, or as needed

• 4 pita or flatbread, warmed
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 pinch sumac or extra paprika, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Trim the chicken breasts of any tendon and cut into even 1 1/4-inch cubes — uniform size matters more than shape, since it's what keeps every piece cooking at the same rate. Pat the cubes dry with paper towels.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, paprika, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne if using. The marinade should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
3. Add the chicken and turn with your hands until every cube is thickly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. Don't go past 12 — the acid will eventually turn the surface mealy.
4. Make the yogurt sauce: stir together 1 cup yogurt, grated garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, dill or mint, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Thin with water a teaspoon at a time until it's spoonable. Refrigerate until serving.
5. Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Thread the cubes onto skewers, alternating every 2 or 3 pieces with onion and bell pepper. Leave a hair of space between pieces so heat can reach all sides, and wipe off any thick excess marinade — you want a coating, not clumps, or it will steam instead of char.
6. For a grill pan: set it over medium-high heat for 5 full minutes until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly. Brush lightly with olive oil. For the broiler: position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the element, set a wire rack inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, and preheat the broiler on high for 5 minutes.
7. Cook the skewers in batches without crowding. On the grill pan, cook 3 minutes per side for about 9 to 12 minutes total, turning a quarter turn at a time, until deeply spotted and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest cube reads 160°F. Under the broiler, cook 5 minutes, flip, and broil 4 to 6 minutes more to the same temperature.
8. Transfer the skewers to a warm platter, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes without removing the chicken from the skewers — the temperature will coast up to a safe 165°F and the juices will redistribute instead of running out onto the board.
9. Toss the parsley leaves with the sliced red onion and a squeeze of lemon. Sprinkle the kebabs with sumac, and serve on warm flatbread with the herb salad, garlic yogurt sauce, and lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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