Turkish Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebab
I think it’s time to get back into bowls again. I mean, how versatile. Perfect for weeknight dinner. Maybe you all have tried my Mexicali bowls made with homemade black beans. Consider this its Mediterranean best friend. Yogurt chicken is a Turkish staple. The probiotics and enzymes in the yogurt serve to tenderize the meat keeping it super moist and juicy. The chicken chunks are best marinated overnight though, if you are really feeling lazy like I was in this recipe, I simply used half a batch of tzatziki sauce that I had whipped up for snacking as the marinade. Skewered together is Whiffletree Farm chicken and Potomac Vegetable Farms bell peppers, poblanos, and thick, juicy red onions. All on a bed of herbed, olive oil-drizzled rice. The perfect weeknight dinner.
what you need
1 large chicken breast, cut into large chunks
3/4 of a cup of 0% fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of olive oil
half a bunch of fresh dill, chopped finely
salt, pepper, paprika, and/or sumac to taste
juice from half a lemon
half a large red onion, cut into large chunks
2-3 bell peppers, sweet peppers, or peppers of choice, cut into large chunks
2 cups of basmati rice, cooked according to package instructions
fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and/or cilantro for garnish
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how to make it
The night before or the morning of, mix Greek yogurt, olive oil, dill, spices, and lemon juice together in a container. Dice the chicken breast into large chunks and mix it into the yogurt marinade. Let sit.
Note: If using wooden skewers especially on a grill, it is best to soak them for at least one hour before cooking. You can also put tin foil on the tips to keep the wood from burning. You could also just use grown up metal skewers… but of course I don’t have those.
Place chunks of chicken and vegetables in alternating patterns on the skewers. I like to use a bell pepper cap on each end. I also like to minimize the excess yogurt on the chunks of chicken. Cook on the grill for approximately 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, rotating about every five.
Place a cup of rice in a bowl, arrange two skewers over top, and garnish with fresh vegetables and herbs. Drizzle lightly with good olive oil and enjoy hot.
Borek
Borek [boh-rek] (plural Böreği) is a delicious Turkish/Eastern European street food that I added to the OneandahalfSlices repertoire in college when a Turkish friend took the time to teach me a little of his home cuisine. I would go as far as to call borek the Balkan empanada – pervasive with a distinct variation on the theme in every country. It can be baked, fried, filled with cheese, filled with greens, filled with meat, but usually involves Phyllo dough (unless you are me and are too lazy to deal with Phyllo dough). This particular borek is called Sigara because it is rolled into tubes like a cigarette. It makes a great brunch, lunch, or light dinner option (as pictured here) and has its origins in Ottoman cuisine.
Hummus
Guys, I am never buying store-bought hummus again. Big statement. But it is way less difficult to make than you think. This creamy, beautiful hummus requires two cans of chickpeas and not much else. It pairs well with tzatziki/cacik sauce and is a staple for any Mediterranean spread. It also has a lot of protein for those who are #plantbased. Highly recommend. Give it a try with some homemade pita. Lemony, garlicky, imminently dippable, and minimal. 🍋🧄🍋
Tzatziki
Tzatziki sauce is a staple of Mediterranean cooking. There are several variations on the theme to include the Turkish Cajik and Haydari sauces. The basic idea is to combine cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, or garlic in some meaningful way and use it as a dipping sauce. It’s great with fresh vegetables or pita, but also delicious as a dipping sauce for red meat as in a kofte or kebab. Authentically, at least for Cajik, the cucumber is grated and then pressed to expel water, but this version is a whole lot simpler. It was part of our recent Mediterranean dinner
