Best Yogurt Marinated Lamb And Chicken Skewers Recipes

YOGURT-MARINATED CHICKEN SKEWERS

Steps:

• For the ras al hanout: Add the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, cayenne, cloves, allspice, coriander, pepper and turmeric to a jar with a lid. Cover and shake to combine. Measure out 1 tablespoon for the chicken and put in a large bowl. Store the remaining spice for up to 3 months in the jar and use as desired.
• For the chicken: In the bowl with the ras al hanout, add the yogurt, mint, oil, salt, sugar, harissa, garlic, finely chopped onion, juice from half of the lemon and about 12 turns of pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon) and mix to combine. Fold in the chicken to evenly coat, then cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
• Thread the chicken pieces on the skewers, adding the bell pepper and onion pieces in between the meat.
• Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the skewers, turning them occasionally, until they're deeply browned on all sides and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Squeeze with the juice from the remaining lemon half before serving.

YOGURTY MARINATED CHICKEN SKEWERS

Steps:

• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.
• Thread the chicken, red onion, zucchini and bell pepper on the skewers, alternating and pushing the pieces close together to fill the skewers tightly. Put the skewers in a baking dish or other nonreactive container that will fit them in one layer. Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt.
• Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, mint, honey, cumin, cayenne, garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour all but about 1 cup of the marinade over the skewers and turn to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate the skewers and reserved marinade for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling to return to room temperature.
• Preheat an outdoor grill or a 2-burner grill pan to medium heat and brush with olive oil.
• Remove the skewers from the marinade and brush off the excess. Grill, turning occasionally to evenly char all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the skewers with the reserved marinade as a dipping sauce.

YOGURT-MARINATED ROAST LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Marinade: Use a spoon to peel the ginger. Peel garlic and onion. Roughly chop onion and ginger, followed by half of the parsley and cilantro, including stems. In a blender, add the ginger, onion, garlic, herbs, ⅓ of the yogurt, and salt. Purée until smooth. Add the remaining yogurt and purée again to combine. Set aside.
• Lamb: Place lamb on a flat surface. Use a sharp knife to poke holes in the lamb at 1½-inch intervals; this will help the lamb absorb the marinade. Flip over and repeat on the other side. Fit a brining bag into a large container (or the roasting pan you'll be using, if it fits in the refrigerator). Then place the lamb into the bag and pour in the marinade. Massage the marinade into the lamb so all of the meat is covered, then seal the bag. Refrigerate for 1-2 days (longer marination will yield more tenderized lamb).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the lamb and all of the marinade into a roasting pan. Lay parchment paper over the lamb to cover, then cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour. (Total roasting time will be 3 hours.)
• After 1 hour, remove lamb from oven. Gently remove foil and parchment. (The yogurt will have separated into curds and whey, which is normal.) Use tongs to flip the lamb over, then cover with parchment and foil again. Place back into the oven for 1 hour. After the second hour of roasting, flip the lamb again and place back into the oven, uncovered, for 1 final hour.
• After a total of 3 hours of roasting, remove lamb. Pierce the lamb with a sharp knife to check for doneness. If there isn't a lot of resistance, it's done. Flip lamb over, spoon yogurt solids on top, and let rest, 30 minutes.
• Almond Relish: Roughly chop the almonds, place in a medium bowl, and set aside. Pick the leaves off the remaining cilantro and parsley, bunch together, and finely chop. Add herbs to the almonds. Add enough olive oil to cover, about ½ cup, and mix. Juice 3 of the 4 lemon halves into the relish, mix, and add salt to taste. Use the juice of the remaining lemon half to taste.
• Assembly: Use tongs and a meat fork to transfer lamb to a serving platter. Spoon relish over the lamb, and serve.

LAMB KABOBS WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Pour 1/3 cup marinade into a shallow dish; add lamb and turn to coat. Cover; refrigerate for 15 minutes., Pour 1 tablespoon marinade into a small bowl. Stir in yogurt; cover and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting. Drain and discard marinade from lamb. On two metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread lamb, mushrooms and zucchini., Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until lamb reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), basting frequently with reserved marinade. Serve with couscous and yogurt mixture.

MARINATED LAMB KEBABS

Steps:

• Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.
• Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals. Spread the coals in one tight layer on the grill.
• Cut the lamb in 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 20 cubes.
• Cut the red onion in 8 pieces and separate each piece into 3 or 4 sections. Loosely thread 3 or 4 pieces of lamb onto skewers alternately with sections of onion. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb cubes with salt and pepper. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium-rare.

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You'll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kabobs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kabobs until golden brown and cooked through, turning the skewers occasionally, 13 to 15 minutes. (The yogurt marinade makes these kabobs prone to sticking to the grill grates; if necessary, use a metal BBQ spatula to scrape underneath the kabobs and release them.) Transfer the kabobs to a platter and serve.
• Note: I've specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe; they're juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts, and they work better in this type of yogurt and lemon-based marinade. They're also much easier to cook without drying out.

GRILLED YOGURT-MARINATED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• Mix 1 cup yogurt, 1 teaspoon Tabil Spice Blend, and 1 minced garlic clove in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill. Whisk remaining 1 cup yogurt, remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons Tabil Spice Blend, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp. salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add lamb; turn to coat. Cover and chill overnight, turning occasionally.
• Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Grill until meat is cooked to desired doneness, 10-15 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grill lemon halves, cut side down, until charred, about 5 minutes. Thinly slice lamb against the grain and arrange on a platter; garnish with lemons. Serve with reserved yogurt sauce.