Chicken skewers with jewelled bulgur wheat salad
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This yoghurt-marinated chicken kebab recipe is a simple, easy dish to put together. The beauty of a yoghurt marinade is two-fold – not only does the yoghurt help to tenderise the chicken, it also creates a delicious crust when you come to cook it. The bulgur wheat is studded with pomegranate, dried fruit, pistachios, herbs and crispy onions for a fragrant and aromatic finish.
Ingredients
Yoghurt marinade
- 600g of chicken drumstick fillets
- 250g of plain yoghurt
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1 lemon , zested and juiced
- 4 garlic cloves , crushed
- 2 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
Jewelled bulgur wheat salad
- olive oil, for cooking
- 200g of bulgur wheat
- 1/2 lemon , zested
- 50g of dried barberries
- 50g of dried apricots , chopped
- 1 medium onion , sliced
- 2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds
- 50g of shelled pistachios , toasted
- 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp of fresh mint leaves
- 2 tbsp of coriander leaves
- sea salt
Method
1
Combine all the ingredients for the yoghurt marinade (apart from the chicken) in a large bowl and stir together. Add the chicken and massage the marinade in with your hands, then leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours (or ideally overnight). We like to marinade everything in a resealable plastic bag, but you can simply cover the bowl with a sheet of clingfilm if preferred
2
The next day, prepare the bulgur wheat salad. Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a splash of olive oil. Sauté the bulgur wheat for a few minutes until it turns brown and nutty, then add 200ml of water to the pan along with a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then add the dried barberries and apricots. Cover with a lid and remove from the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes, by which time the bulgur wheat should have absorbed the water and become tender
3
Meanwhile, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan over a high heat. Add the sliced onion and cooked until crispy and golden (about 10 minutes), then drain on kitchen paper
4
Toss the bulgur wheat and dried fruit mixture with the pomegranate seeds, pistachios and parsley, and keep warm in the pan until ready to serve
5
Preheat a grill to the highest setting. Take the chicken out of the marinade and thread onto skewers. Place on a grill pan under the grill and cook for about 5 minutes either side – you want the yoghurt to char and blister slightly, but keep an eye on it and don't let it burn too much. Ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked by cutting one of the pieces in half and ensuring the juices run clear
6
Place the warm bulgur wheat salad on a serving platter and top with the crispy onions, then finish with the chicken skewers and the mint and coriander leaves
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Chicken skewers with jewelled bulgur wheat salad
