Last Updated on December 28, 2024 by Kimberly Stroh
Wanting to learn a new grilled recipe? Find out how you can make Grilled Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce with this delicious recipe.
Now that it’s grilling season, have you expanded your collection of grilled main dishes? In this post, I’ll share a grilled chicken skewers or kabobs recipe that you would find easy to cook. Moreover, it’s a delicious main course that you won’t be ashamed to serve for your loved ones.
What are Kabobs?
Kabobs or kebab is a name applied to a variety of Middle Eastern dishes consisting of grilled meat or seafood with vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper. Perhaps the two most popular variants of kabobs are doner kebab and shish kebab.
Kebab comes from the Persian word “kabab” which means “fry.” This word has been used since the Middle Ages. In fact, there is a Turkish script dated in 1377 where the word kebab is mentioned as a type of food.
Kebab is actually the name used in the Middle East as well as parts of Europe; while “kabobs” is the term widely used in the west.
There’s solid evidence that our ancestors have been cooking meat on a stick as early as the prehistoric times. Excavations in Greece, for instance, revealed stone sets of barbeque for skewers which experts believed were used sometime in the 17th century B.C.
But kebab itself is said to have been invented in Turkey. Medieval soldiers were said to have roasted freshly hunted animal meat pierced by swords.
Different Meat Types for Kabobs
Aside from chicken, pork, beef, lamb and seafood like salmon or cobia fish are the other commonly used meats for kabobs.
Top sirloin is considered the best choice for grilling beef. It is inexpensive unlike tenderloin, and can cut like butter when prepared properly. Make sure to marinate the beef for up to 24 hours, though.
Many chefs will agree that chicken is easy for kebabs. Chicken breasts, which we will use in our recipe, are a great choice because these are thick enough for cubing. You can also use chicken thighs as these can remain tender and moist.
As for lamb, the leg is really the only part that can be cubed and roasted over high heat.
Preparation and Cooking Tips
In preparing kebab, it is important to marinate the meat first. This will not only improve the tenderness and flavor of the meat but also prevent food-borne bacteria especially if the meat is marinated in the fridge.
Before skewering, you should also wash all meats and vegetables first. Pat them dry before adding to the marinade.
To achieve quick and even cooking, I suggest that you cut meats in uniform sizes of about 1 to 2-inch cubes.
It’s also great to parboil vegetables like zucchini, carrots and bell peppers before skewering.
It’s up to you on how you want to position the meat and vegetables. However, it is critical that you should give the kebab items enough room so that the heat would be able to circulate better. Cramming the kebab would surely result to an underdone dish.
Grilled Chicken Skewers With Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Now let’s go to the Grilled Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce recipe. This recipe would yield savory sweet chicken kebobs. It can make four servings, with the preparation time taking about an hour. Cooking time is around 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
- One tablespoon of cornstarch
- Two tablespoons of honey
- Quarter teaspoon of garlic powder
- Quarter cup of brown sugar
- Quarter cup of soy sauce
- Half teaspoon of ground ginger
- One and a half pound of boneless and skinless chicken breasts sliced into 1-inch chunks
- Sliced green onions
- Sesame seeds
Step by Step Guide:
1. Whisk together the cornstarch and quarter cup of water in a small bowl. Set this aside.
2. Place a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, honey, garlic powder and a cup of water. After bringing this to a simmer, stir in the cornstarch mixture until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. This should take around 2 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. This would be your teriyaki marinade.
3. Combine the marinade and chicken in a large bowl. Marinate this for a minimum of 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. After threading the chicken onto the skewers, add the latter to the grill. Cook the skewers for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the food becomes golden brown in color.
5. Garnish with sesame seeds and onion before serving.
Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
As for the tzatziki sauce, prepare these ingredients:
- One heaping teaspoon of fresh dill, chopped
- One and a half cup of Greek yogurt
- One cup of peeled and diced cucumber
- One and a half teaspoon of kosher salt
- One teaspoon of grated garlic
- Black pepper to taste
This one is easy to prepare, too. Peel and dice the cucumber. Then combine the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Fold in the cucumber then refrigerate the sauce until you are ready to serve it along with the chicken skewers.
Grilled Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce could be that next dish your family members will be raving about. It’s a yummy and easy to prepare grilled dish that is perfect for the camping season. It is also a recipe that you can prepare the night before then cook the following day, right after getting home from work.