Chicken Shish Kabob (Kebab) with Tabbouleh

Succulent pieces of marinated chicken are skewered and grilled to perfection, creating a mouthwatering dish that is bursting with aromatic spices. Served alongside a refreshing tabbouleh salad, this recipe is a celebration of fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

For more information about the history of this delicious dish, including an overview of various regional variations, check out this article on shawarmas and kebabs by Turkish Chef Feyza Kirmaci. Now, let’s dive into the preparation of this delightful dish: Cube the chicken meat and marinate with sumac, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Dice the pepper and onion. Preheat the grill to medium-high or the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Soak the skewers in water. Arrange the meat, peppers, and onions on the skewers. Grill for about 10-15 minutes, turning every couple minutes to ensure even cooking.

The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F (70-75°C). Typically, the chicken is done cooking when it feels firm to the touch, if you don’t have a thermometer on hand.

For oven cooking, place the skewers on a baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through, then place under the broiler for another minute to brown a bit. To make the tabbouleh, boil the bulgur in salted water, drain, and rinse with cold water.

Peel the cucumber and finely dice. Cut the tomato into quarters, remove the seeds, then finely dice.

Finely chop the parsley and mint leaves. Put together the cucumber, tomato, bulgur, mint, and parsley, and mix in the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Serve the warm skewers over either warm or refrigerated tabbouleh.

Please find the detailed chicken shish kabob recipe below.

Shish kebab

• 3 boneless chicken thighs
• 1 red pepper
• 1 onion

Marinade

• 1/2 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Cube the meat and marinate with sumac, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
• Dice the pepper and onion.
• Soak the skewers in water. Arrange the meat, peppers, and onions on the skewers.
• Grill for about 10-15 minutes, turning every couple minutes to ensure even cooking. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F (70-75°C). Typically, the chicken is done cooking when it feels firm to the touch, if you don't have a thermometer on hand.
• For oven cooking, place the skewers on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, then place under the broiler for another minute to brown a bit.

For the tabbouleh:

• Boil the bulgur in salted water, drain, and rinse with cold water.
• Peel and finely dice the cucumber. Cut the tomato into quarters, remove the seeds, and finely dice. Finley chop the parsley and mint.
• Put together the cucumber, tomato, bulgur, mint, and parsley, and mix with the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt, and pepper.
• Serve the warm skewers over the warm or refrigerated tabbouleh.

Notes

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