Moroccan spiced grilled chicken kebab recipe (2024)

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Whew! Last week was a busyone. I was on a deadline for a book, and as always,the last few weeks werea sprint to the finish. My neck still smartsfrom being glued to my computer, but it was nothing a few post-writing co*cktails couldn’t fix. However I barely had time to shop or do much cooking while I had hammering out words.

I’m not really a fan of take-out food, nor do I like delivered food, which is curiously becoming as popularin Paris as it is elsewhere. It’sjust not really my thing. The idea of ameal that iscooked, then packed in a closed foam box for 30+ minutes or so before arrivingon my table, isn’t so appealing. (Although I did get apepperoni pizza delivered in New York when I was in the thick of things, which I’ll admit was pretty tasty.)

It felt good to send the book in and get back to doing some cooking again. Especially grilling, which is as easy as take-out, and there areno pots and pans to wash, always a plus – whether you’re on book deadline or not.

There was a lot of talk recently about the rise of popular websites that promote cooking using pre-made and/or bottled ingredients. Some people don’t have time, others are looking for convenience, and some don’t care. I certainly havefallen into the first two categories myself, although I haven’t found too many convenience products that are as good as what you can make yourself. These skewers are great because they can be prepared in a few minutes using a pre-blended spice mix (which isn’t cheating, but more of a “short cut”), and refrigerated until you’re ready to eat. Then you justfire up the grill (or grill pan), spearthe chicken onthe skewers, and inten minutes, you’ve got a tasty, hot, fresh meal.

Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice mixthat gets its name from being the “top of the market” – a blend of spices that are the best ofthe spice shop. Itcaninclude coriander, allspice, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, among other spices. Blends like this are nice to have on hand in your pantry because much of the work is already done for you.

Different cultures have various names for skewered meats, from brochettes to satay. The catch-all word“kebabs” isthe term that gets used the most in the United States for skewered meat and vegetables. Because they’re so global, you’re welcome to use whatever word, or kind of sauce, that you want. In this version, the spices are Moroccan, but the grilled morselsof chickengo well with condimentsfrom othercountries and cultures, such asharissa, chermoula, eggplant jam, tzatziki, toum or one of my favorites of all time,chunky feta-cucumber salad. Raw onions, tomatoes and shredded lettuce or cabbage also are possibilities for added crunch.

Moroccan-Spiced Grilled Chicken Kebabs

While these skewers are prime for making sandwiches, they’re excellent served with seasoned rice and a side salad or sauce, as I did a few days later.For marinating the chicken, I used Greek whole milk yogurt and would advise using that. If that’s unavailable, use whole milk yogurt. Boneless chicken breasts or boneless leg of lamb will work for this recipe in place of the thighs. If using wooden skewers, soaking them in water for 30 minutes prior to threading them helps prevent them from burning, although these cook rather quickly and wasn’t an issue for me.Ras el hanout is sold in shops specializing in North African or Arabic ingredients. It’s available online at Amazon, Kalustyan’s, The Spanish Table, The Spice House, and World Market. You can mix and grind up your own ras el hangout, too.

6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled
3/4 cup (180g) whole milk plain yogurt, preferably Greek-style
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 teaspoons ras el hanout
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2- pounds (900g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat, cut into 1 1/4-inch (4cm) pieces

Finely mince the garlic. Grate the onion with the large holes of a grater. (Alternately, you can cut the garlic and onion into smaller pieces and finely chop them together in a mini-chopper.) Put onions and garlic in a large zip-top freezer bag. You may also put them in a medium bowl and marinade the chicken in the bowl.
Mix in the yogurt, lemon juice, ras el hanout, salt, black pepper, paprika, red pepper, and chicken. Before you close the bag, push most of the air out of it, then seal the bag. Massage the chicken pieces so that they are all covered. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
To cook, thread the chicken pieces on 4 to 6 skewers. Light the grill until the heat until it’s very hot. Brush the grill with a bit of oil and grill the skewers on one side until they are seared with grill marks, about 4 or 5 minutes, then turn the skewers and grill until the chicken is cooked through. They’ll take about 8-9 minutes, total. If you don’t have a grill, you can make these in a lightly oiled grill pan on the stovetop.

Notes

Serve with pita or flatbread, rice, couscous, bulghur, or another grain. It also goes well with a sauce, such as eggplant jam, tzatziki, or chermoula. Another possibility is the Cucumber and Feta Salad.

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