Chicken Kebabs
Senior Editor
Abuja, Nigeria ·
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Abuja, Nigeria ·
Kebab is a Middle Eastern preparation, and the source says so directly. Cut or ground meat cooked on a skewer over open flame is one of the oldest cooking methods there is, and the word and the technique both come from that region before spreading almost everywhere. Mutton and lamb are the traditional meats. Regional versions use beef, goat, chicken or fish, and pork rarely, given religious constraints across much of the region where kebab originates. Not every kebab involves a skewer either: tas kebab is baked in a skillet or served as a stew, which shows how loosely the word travels. Africa has a great deal of skewered grilled meat of its own, and this recipe is not it. Nigerian suya is coated in yaji, a peanut based spice blend. Sudanese agashe works the same way. Moroccan brochettes are marinated in cumin and paprika. Egyptian kofta is ground and shaped rather than cubed. This version is marinated in soy sauce, olive oil, oregano, garlic and lemon, which is a Mediterranean and Levantine profile, so it sits in the Worldwide Recipes collection rather than being presented as African.
Dietary tags are provided by contributors as a guide, not verified by AFN, and they depend on the products you buy. If you have a serious allergy, check every ingredient yourself.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.
Mix everything well, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. The longer the better.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Thread the chicken and peppers onto the skewers.
Oil the grilling grate.
Cook for about 7 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through.
Personal notes from Amarachi Irobi4 reviews
I was skeptical about using soy sauce with dried oregano for chicken kebabs abeg, but I had everything in my Chicago pantry already so I gave it a shot. Marinated the thighs for the full 24 hours in the fridge. E sweet o! That half lemon juiced into the bowl really made the meat tender.
Left the chicken thighs in the marinade with the soy sauce and lemon for almost 12 hours. The meat was soft paa. Only thing is the oregano alone was a bit too mild for my house, so next time I will add small crushed ginger and local pepper to give it kick oo.
The soy sauce and garlic marinade penetrated the chicken thighs very well sha. Grilled them over open charcoal for about 15 minutes like you said and those multicoloured bell peppers got a nice char. E sweet no be small thing.
Manchester weather would not let me use an outdoor grill today so I just used the oven grill on high heat. The smell of the garlic and oregano filled the whole flat. Got the boneless thighs from Sainsbury's and they stayed juicy, just remember to soak wooden skewers in water first so they dont burn.