Takeaway kebab is one of my favourites, and as long as you buy the right kebab it's pretty healthy too. What's not to love about grilled meat, salad and bread. But rather than keep paying out each week and then adding some unhealthier side dishes to my order I decided to start making my own.
Be sure to marinade your chicken for as long as you can as the yoghurt helps to gently tenderise the chicken and really make a juicy kebab. I've added a recipe for a delicious rice dish, that goes really well with the chicken shish.
See the bottom of the recipe for some helpful tips.
Prep time 10mins plus 2hrs marinading time
Cooking time 30mins (quicker then your local takeaway)
4tbsp Greek style yoghurt
2tsp ground cumin
1tsp chilli powder
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried parsley
1tsp salt and ground pepper
1/2tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
2garlic cloves, crushed
2tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
650g boneless chicken breast or thighs, diced
200g basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 10mins and then rinsed.
2tbsp butter
2tsp turmeric
Small handful of dried apricots, roughly chopped
325ml veg stock
Small handful chopped cashews
Roughly 2tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Tortilla wraps or pitta breads
Salad selection, I like to use lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, cucumber and very thinly sliced red cabbage
Chilli Sauce
Mint Yoghurt
In a mixing bowl big enough to marinade all the chicken pieces mix together the yoghurt, all of the spices and seasonings, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.
Get your chicken thighs on a clean chopping board, lay them flat, cover with cling film and bash the fatter parts slightly until the are all an even thickness, this will ensure even cooking.
Now place them in the marinade, making sure each thigh is well covered with the mixture, cover the bowl with cling film and leave in the fridge for anywhere between 2 and 6 hours.
Remove from the fridge 15minutes before cooking.
Heat the grill to medium to high.
Thread the chicken thighs on to skewers, 2 or 3 thighs per skewer will be enough, depending on the size of the skewer.
Line a baking tray with foil and place under the grill turning every 5 mins for about 25mins until they are cooked through. For the last 5 mins if you don't have any charred edges on the chicken turn the grill to high and really get some authentic grilled colour round the edges.
Always check the chicken is cooked through before serving and enjoy in a wrap or pita with all the lovely salad bits.
If you are using the rice recipe, do this while the chicken is cooking.
In a sauce pan heat the butter on a medium heat, add the rinsed rice and stir around.
Now add the turmeric and cook for a 2 minutes, ensuring the rice is properly coated.
Now add the stock and dried apricots, bring to the boil. Once boiling cover with a tight lid and turn the heat down to the lowest heat.
Leave to cook on the low heat for 10 mins, do not lift the lid.
After 10 mins you can lift the lid and have a look, the water should be fully absorbed, fluff with a fork and then stir in the chopped cashews and fresh parsley.
Cooking these shish kebabs on the bbq gives an even better flavour.
If you don't have skewers just lay them straight on to your lined baking tray, or the straight on to the bbq.
You can slightly pickle you red onions or cabbage by using my pink pickled onion recipe, available on this website.
