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Moroccan Ginger-Lemon Chicken Skewers

Moroccan Ginger-Lemon Chicken Skewers

These chicken skewers reflect the bright, many-layered flavor complexity of Moroccan cuisine—with a short ingredient list.

By Diane UngerJune 5, 2017

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

Grilled lemon halves, drizzled with honey and squeezed over the charred chicken skewers, added a final note of sweet-tart acidity that helped balance all the bold, savory seasonings. Minced fresh cilantro, parsley or mint brings bright color and a herbal freshness to the dish. Use whichever you prefer, or any combination of the three.

Tip

Don’t marinate the chicken longer than 30 minutes. Any longer than that and the lemon juice and ginger will make it mushy.

Ingredients
  • 3

    lemons

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

  • 2

    garlic cloves, grated

  • 1

    tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  • 1

    tablespoon ground cumin

  • 1

    tablespoon ground coriander

  • 2

    teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1

    teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 3

    tablespoons honey, divided

  • 1 ½

    pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • ¼

    cup minced fresh cilantro, flat-leaf parsley or mint

Step 1

With a wand-style grater, use 1 lemon to grate 1 tablespoon of zest and squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice. In a large bowl, stir together the zest, juice, oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the honey.

Step 2

Cut each chicken thigh crosswise into 3 strips. Add the chicken to the marinade, toss and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. For a charcoal grill, spread a large chimney three-quarters full of hot coals evenly over the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. For a gas grill, set all burners to high.

Heat the grill, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate. If using gas, reduce the burners to medium-high just before adding the chicken.

Step 3

Thread the chicken onto four 12-inch metal skewers, scrunching multiple pieces onto each skewer. Cut the remaining 2 lemons in half. Grill the chicken and lemon halves (cut side down) until the chicken is well charred all over, 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the lemons once their cut sides are nicely charred.

Step 4

Transfer the skewers and lemon halves to a platter. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey over the cut sides of the lemons. Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon half over the chicken, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with the remaining lemon halves on the side.

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