Spiced yoghurt chicken with lemon, pistachio and mint
Grilled spiced-yoghurt chicken skewers. Serves 6
The skewers can be made as you need them, or to get ahead, marinated in the spiced yoghurt the day before you need them.
12 large skinless boneless chicken thighs
4 large BBQ skewers (You can fit 3 thighs comfortably on each skewer)
125ml real Greek yoghurt
2teaspoons ground cumin
2teaspoons ground coriander
2teaspoons Spanish sweet smoked paprika (I like ‘la chinata’ pimentón brand best)
2 teaspoons of fennel seeds lightly crushed
Good pinch of dried chilli flakes
A little Malden or Himalayan pink salt
Lemon, pistachio mint yoghurt to serve
250ml Greek yoghurt
2-3stalks of fresh mint leaves (approx. 15 leaves) very finely sliced
2-3tablespoons of chopped pistachios
Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
A little Malden or Himalayan pink salt
Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs. Place in a bowl and set to one side.
Combine the Greek yoghurt with the spices and add to the chicken.
Give everything a good stir so the yoghurt evenly coats the meat. Take a metal skewer and thread the chicken on, weaving in and out of each thigh. You’ll probably get 3 thighs to a skewer. Pop back in the fridge until ready to grill.
For the yoghurt simply mix all of the ingredients together and season to taste. Add more lemon juice if you like a sharper taste. Pop in the fridge covered until needed.
Light up the BBQ or preheat the grill to its highest temperature.
If using a kitchen grill, once preheated turn the thermostat to medium just as you put the chicken on to cook. For a gas BBQ I’d turn down to around the 200c/400f mark after preheating.
Season the skewers and place on the BBQ or grill turning occasionally until cooked through. They will take around 20-25minutes to cook. If you are worried about whether the chicken is ready, you can always invest in a little meat thermometer? Chicken should be cooked to 165f/74c. Failing that, pull the meat apart slightly in the centre and feel if the heat has penetrated? It should feel hot inside. If it’s not then keep cooking. When cooked lay the skewers out on a platter accompanied by the yoghurt