Best Turkish Chicken Kebabs With Aleppo Pepper Recipes

TURKISH CHICKEN KEBABS

Turkish Chicken Kebabs image

I'd like to think that all the chicken coming off American grills this summer will be as tasty, juicy, and tender as these Turkish chicken kebabs. By using a flavorful, yogurt-based marinade, like the one seen herein, even inexperienced grillers can produce impressive results. I'm not sure how 'Turkish' this is--it's loosely based on a lamb marinade I've used for a long time.

Provided by Chef John

Categories World Cuisine Recipes Middle Eastern Turkish

Time 2h27m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Aleppo red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved
4 long metal skewers

Steps:

Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, ketchup, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Place chicken thigh halves into the yogurt marinade and coat them thoroughly on all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
Using 2 skewers for each kebab, thread half of the chicken thighs onto each pair of skewers making a fairly thick "log" shape.
Place kebabs on grill. Do not try to turn them until they begin to unstick from the grill, 3 or 4 minutes. Turn kebabs and grill the other side 3 or 4 minutes; turn. Continue cooking and turning until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 6 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 538.9 calories, Carbohydrate 8.4 g, Cholesterol 186.3 mg, Fat 32.5 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 51.8 g, SaturatedFat 9.1 g, Sodium 1721.6 mg, Sugar 4.2 g

YOGURT-MARINATED CHICKEN KEBABS WITH ALEPPO PEPPER

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Aleppo Pepper image

Provided by Steven Raichlen

Categories Chicken Garlic Yogurt Low Cal Backyard BBQ Ramadan Dinner Lunch Summer Grill Grill/Barbecue Healthy Chile Pepper Bon Appétit

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper* or 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, plus additional Aleppo pepper or paprika for sprinkling
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt** (8 ounces)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving
2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken (thighs and/or breast halves), cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
Special Equipment
Flat metal skewers

Steps:

If using Aleppo pepper, place in large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. If using dried crushed red pepper and paprika combination, place in large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until paste forms, about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to spice mixture in bowl; whisk to blend. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper or paprika. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter. Surround with lemon wedges and serve.
*A slightly sweet Syrian pepper with a moderate heat level; available at some specialty foods stores and from wholespice.com.
**A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods markets) and Greek markets. If unavailable, place regular yogurt in cheesecloth-lined strainer set over large bowl. Cover and chill overnight to drain.
Ingredient tip:
Aleppo pepper is sold finely ground or crushed into small flakes; either one will work well in this recipe.