Try using chicken thighs instead of breasts for these kebabs, which can be cooked on the barbecue or in a griddle pan
Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
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Published
People tend to use chicken breasts for kebabs, which look neater, but they’re not as tasty as thighs (and breast meat dries out on barbecues). You can also fry the thighs whole.
Requires additional marinating time
Overview
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Serves
6
skewers
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
- juice and finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 80ml olive oil
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, stalks included
- 600g chicken thigh fillets
Method
Step
Put 1 peeled and quartered large onion, the juice and finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, 4 chopped garlic cloves, 80ml olive oil and 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley (stalks and all) into a food processor. Season and blitz to a rough purée.
Step
Put 600g chicken thigh fillets in a bowl and pour over the purée. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, or overnight.
Step
If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water to prevent them from burning.
Step
Lift the chicken out of the marinade and cut the flesh into chunks (particularly thin bits of thigh may have to be folded over to form a chunk). Thread these on to the skewers and neaten the meat (little raggedy bits have a tendency to burn).
Step
Season all over and cook either on a barbecue or griddle pan, turning frequently using long tongs. Timing will depend on the heat of your barbecue, but on a griddle pan they take about 8-10 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through.
Step
Serve with lemon wedges, rice or couscous and salad. A bowl of garlicky yoghurt is good, too.






















