Recipe of the Day: Chicken Shawarma Skewers

These Chicken Shawarma Skewers from Donal Skehan are the perfect yummy treat coming into the summer months. The smokey flavour gives them that BBQ taste, even if the weather hasn’t quite allowed for outdoor cooking just yet. Whether you serve them outdoors in the break from the rain or inside dreaming of better weather you can be sure to impress friends and family with these tasty skewers.

Serves: 4

Time: 1 hour + marinating time

 

Ingredients: 

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp smoked sweet paprika

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch chilli flakes

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra to fry

Large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Squeeze of lemon, to serve

4 large flat breads, to serve

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

For the yoghurt:

¼ cucumber, deseeded

1 clove garlic, grated

175g greek yoghourt

Sumac, to sprinkle

 

For the chopped salad:

2 baby gem lettuce

½ cucumber

200g cherry tomato

2 sticks celery

½ red onions, finely chopped

100g feta cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method: 

Put the chicken in a bowl and toss with the spices, garlic, tablespoon of olive oil and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

To make the yoghurt, coarsely grate the cucumber and toss with a pinch of sea salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes then drain and squeeze out any excess water with kitchen paper. In a bowl, mix the cucumber with the garlic, greek yoghurt, some freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with sumac.

Chop all the vegetables for the salad and toss in a bowl with the feta.

Thread the chicken onto skewers. Heat a heavy based pan or griddle over a medium high heat with a little drizzle of oil. Fry the skewers (you might have to do this in batches) until cooked and slightly charred.

Meanwhile whisk the red wine vinegar with some seasoning and the extra virgin olive oil and pour over the salad. Warm the flat breads.

Serve the skewers scattered with parsley and a good squeeze of lemon with the salad, yoghurt and flatbreads.