Gnarly Chicken Kebabs In Foil Boxes For A Summer Gathering

Served straight off the grill, they’re a fantastic option for casual summer gatherings - Tin foil boxes optional!

We are smack bang into the summer and with it, we need a new collection of recipes to lean on, particularly for weekend entertaining. The brighter season brings a bounty of fresh ingredients, perfect for firing up the grill and creating memorable meals which capture the essence of summer. One of my standby, old reliables around this time of year is grilled chicken. Versatile and the ideal vehicle for whatever your kitchen pantry has to offer. Nights of entertaining were once dinner get-togethers with friends, starters, mains, desserts et al. In more recent years and particularly with roaming children added to the mix when entertaining, dinner needs to be easy and primarily make ahead friendly.

Enter… the chicken kebab feast! Where all the elements can be made long before your guests arrive and you can serve it DIY assembly style, ideal for a casual summer gathering. The chicken kebab recipe here is made all the more tender marinated in yoghurt which prevents the chicken from drying out during cooking. I highly recommend you use chicken thighs for this recipe as you will be left with tender chicken once cooked.

Now for the sauce that brings it all together - Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce which is essential to serve with these kebabs. Similar to mayonnaise, but instead of egg yolks, the emulsifier in this sauce is garlic. It results in a smooth intense garlic sauce that is ideal to serve with grilled meat. Once made, the toum keeps really well in the fridge for several weeks as it is very stable. If the garlic is a bit too intense you can blanch the cloves in boiling water for a minute then plunge into iced water. Drain and dry before adding to your food processor.

To serve alongside the skewers and sauce, I give you the “Kebab Shop Salad”, a fresh, colourful and an easy to assemble crunchy salad that provides the vibrant element to an otherwise smoky and spicy wrap. Serve it alongside or in the flatbreads wrapped up with the rest of the elements for a truly satisfying bite. It’s a fairly versatile salad that goes well with many grilled meats so worth keeping on hand.

If you are firing up the barbecue this weekend and fancy making these for friends or family, get the recipe HERE.