Jonathan’s Middle Eastern Chicken Kabobs
SERVES 6 TO 8
Directions
In a mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Thread the chicken, onion pieces, and red pepper pieces onto 8 metal skewers. Place the kabobs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spread the marinade over the skewers, turning them to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grease the cooking grid with vegetable oil on paper towels. Grill the kabobs until golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, using tongs to turn the skewers occasionally. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve.
Jonathan Appleyard married into the large Cook/Wiggins family clan that has come to Maine in the summer for generations, as did I. He is also a gifted, caring minister who presides over family occasions such as weddings and memorials. And he loves to cook, as does his wife Ruth. In the summer of 2017, he served me these chicken kabobs, which Jonathan adapted from a recipe on the Once Upon a Chef website. They instantly became one of my favorites.
Ingredients
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1¾ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large red bell peppers, halved, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Vegetable oil, for greasing grill