Chicken thigh chunks marinated in yoghurt, tomato purée and oregano, then grilled until charred at the edges. Marinate overnight and cook in twelve minutes.
Prep
20 mins
Cook
14 mins
Servings
4
Per serving
£1.95
Difficulty
easy
Yoghurt does two things in a shish marinade: the acidity tenderises without turning the surface mushy the way lemon alone would, and the milk solids catch and char under the grill. Thigh meat rather than breast is what keeps it juicy over high heat.
Whisk the yoghurt, tomato purée, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, garlic, oregano, paprika, pul biber, the juice of one lemon and 1.5 tsp of the salt in a large bowl.
Add the chicken chunks and turn until thickly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so it is not fridge cold when it hits the heat.
Cold chicken on a hot grill chars outside before the middle is done. This half hour matters more than people think.
Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with red onion wedges and pepper squares. Do not pack the pieces tightly against each other.
Brush the vegetables with the remaining oil and season everything with the last of the salt.
Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until very hot. Grill the skewers for 6 to 7 minutes per side, turning once, until charred in patches and cooked through with no pink at the centre.
Rest for 4 minutes, then dust with sumac if using and serve with lemon wedges and rice or a chopped salad.