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Turkish-Style Chicken Kebabs (Tavuk Şiş)

Turkish-Style Chicken Kebabs (Tavuk Şiş)

Smoky, charred chicken is expertly balanced with sweet flavors like mint and honey in our version of Turkish chicken kebabs.

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour
  • Active time plus cooling
    plus marinating

For this take on chicken kebabs, we draw inspiration from Turkey, the country that gave shish kebabs their name. Biber salçası, or Turkish red pepper paste, is a traditional ingredient in many versions of tavuk şiş. We use easier to find Fresno chilies, which we puree, along with roasted bell peppers and a touch of tomato paste. Our puree also uses Aleppo pepper; look for it in well-stocked markets and spice shops. If Aleppo pepper is not available, substitute 1 tablespoon sweet paprika plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. We prefer chicken thighs over breasts for their richer flavor. Plus, dark meat is more forgiving when it comes to doneness.

Tip

Don’t forget to scrape excess marinade off the chicken as you thread the pieces onto skewers. This prevents a sticky buildup on the grill grates.

Ingredients
  • ½

    cup drained roasted red bell peppers, patted dry

  • 6

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 2

    Fresno chilies, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2

    tablespoons dried mint

  • 2

    tablespoons Aleppo pepper (or 1 tablespoon sweet paprika plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper)

  • 1

    tablespoon honey

  • 1

    tablespoon tomato paste

  • Kosher salt

  • 1½

    tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2

    pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch strips

  • 3

    tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the roasted red peppers, garlic, chilies, oil, dried mint, Aleppo pepper, honey, tomato paste and 2 teaspoons salt. Process until almost smooth, 45 to 60 seconds, scraping the sides as needed.

Measure 3 tablespoons of the puree into a small bowl, then stir in the lemon juice; cover andrefrigerate. Transfer the remaining puree to a medium bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Step 2

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney three-quarters full of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents and the lid vent.

For a gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat, covered, for 15 minutes, then clean and oil the grate; turn all burners to medium-high.

Step 3

While the grill heats remove the reserved puree from the refrigerator. Thread the chicken onto eight 10- to 12-inch metal skewers, evenly dividing the pieces and scraping off excess marinade.

Place the skewers on the hot side of the grill (if using charcoal), and cook, uncovered, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until evenly charred on all sides and the thickest piece is opaque when cut into, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter. Stir the fresh mint into the reserved puree and serve with the kebabs.

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