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Turkish Style Chicken Skewers served with a glass of Turkish Yogurt Drink

Turkish Style Grilled Chicken Skewers

These Grilled Chicken Skewers marinated in a Turkish spice mix and yogurt are every bit as juicy and flavorful as they look. Serve them with a glass of my homemade Turkish Ayran. 

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Turkish
Keyword chicken skewers with yogurt marinade, grilled chicken skewers, Turkish chicken skewers
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 442 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

For the skewers:

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 cup total of fresh parsley and cilantro leaves (or either one)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup yogurt (full, low fat or fat free)
  • 2 lemons , thinly sliced for skewering
  • 2 tablespoons sumac spice for sprinkling

For the yogurt drink Ayran:

  • 2 cups yogurt (full, low or fat free)
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup ice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup total of mint and parsley leaves

Instructions

For the skewers:

  1. Preheat a bbq on medium-high heat or preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a food processor, pulse together the garlic, tomatoes, lemon juice, spices, fresh herbs, olive oil and yogurt until smooth.
  3. Toss the chicken in this marinade and skewer it on wooden skewers placing a thin slice of lemon in between each chicken cube.
  4. Cook the chicken on the bbq for 3-5 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chicken cubes) on each side with the lid closed at all times.

  5. Once the chicken is ready, sprinkle it with a generous amount of sumac spice and serve with a yogurt drink on the side.

For the drink:

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and slightly foamy. Save cold right away.

Recipe Notes

  • Often, I double and triple the recipe for the marinade and freeze the excess in a small ziplock for a really really busy day. I just take the marinade out of the freezer, defrost it and toss it with the chicken cubes, and just like that it’s ready to be cooked.
  • Wooden skewers must be pre-soaked in water for at least 1 hour before using.
  • Instead of lemon slices, you can go for onions, tomatoes, bell peppers or a mix of that. I stick to the lemon because it boosts the lemon flavor and I love that!
Nutrition Facts
Turkish Style Grilled Chicken Skewers
Amount Per Serving (1 skewer)
Calories 442 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 163mg54%
Sodium 766mg33%
Potassium 1253mg36%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 54g108%
Vitamin A 465IU9%
Vitamin C 51.6mg63%
Calcium 222mg22%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.