VelvetGrilled Chicken Kebabs with Lemon and Basil
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Chicken breast marinated in yoghurt, garlic and dried herbs, threaded with red pepper and onion and grilled until the edges char. A lemon-basil dressing brushed on after cooking brings fresh acidity to the smoky chicken and sweet vegetables.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Marinate the chicken. Whisk the yoghurt, 60 ml of the oil, 1 tbsp of the minced garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper and cayenne in the large bowl. Add the chicken cubes and stir until coated. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 3-6 hours.
- 2
Make the dressing. Whisk the remaining 60 ml oil and 1 tsp minced garlic with the basil and lemon juice in the small bowl. Cover and refrigerate alongside the chicken until you are ready to cook.
- 3
Prepare to grill. Heat the barbecue for direct cooking over high heat. Cut the peppers into 2.5 cm pieces. Quarter the peeled onion and cut it into similar-sized pieces, keeping a few layers together so they stay on the skewers. Lift the chicken out of its marinade and discard the marinade left in the bowl.
- 4
Thread the skewers. On each skewer, thread 2 pieces of pepper, 1 piece of onion, 2 pieces of chicken and another piece of onion. Repeat that sequence twice more, then finish with 2 extra pieces of pepper. Continue with the remaining ingredients.
- 5
Grill on all four sides. Lay the kebabs over the high heat and turn with tongs to cook all four sides, about 3 min per side, roughly 12 min in total. The chicken and vegetables should have charred edges and the chicken should be opaque throughout; check that the centre of the thickest chicken pieces reaches 74 °C, keeping the probe clear of the metal skewer.
- 6
Brush and serve. Move the cooked kebabs to a clean serving platter. Whisk the lemon-basil dressing again, brush it over every side of the kebabs and serve straight away.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked kebabs in a covered container for up to 3 days. Remove the skewers before storing and reheat the chicken and vegetables until the chicken reaches 74 °C. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why it's healthy
20 g protein for 202 kcal = 9.9 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 40% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the EU condition. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 3.6 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 84 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 0.1 g per serving
0.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- large mixing bowl
- small bowl
- whisk
- mixing spoon
- cling film
- long metal skewers
- barbecue
- long-handled tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- pastry brush
- serving platter
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 202 kcal |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrate | 5.5 g |
| of which sugars | 3 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 11.1 g |
| of which saturates | 1.8 g |
| Fibre | 1.3 g |
| Salt | 0.29 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
9.9 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
