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Middle Eastern

Yogurt Chicken Skewers

Chicken cubes sit in a lemon-yogurt marinade, then roast on skewers until the edges char. Serve them with cucumber and warm pita.

Prep
20 min
Cook
16 min
Total
36 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Golden yogurt-marinated chicken skewers with cucumber

Photo: futureshape (CC BY). Source

Why you’ll love it

  • Yogurt tenderizes the chicken in a short marinade.
  • High heat browns the edges.
  • Cucumber cools the plate.
  • Metal skewers do not need a soak.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Stir the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin. Toss with the chicken and sit 15 minutes.

  2. 2

    Heat the oven to 450°F. Thread the chicken on skewers and set them on a lined sheet pan.

  3. 3

    Roast 14 to 16 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the edges are browned.

  4. 4

    Warm the pita in the oven for the last 3 minutes.

  5. 5

    Serve the skewers with cucumber and pita.

Pro tips

  • Do not marinate past a few hours or the yogurt texture turns chalky.
  • Leave a little space between cubes so they brown.
  • If you use wood skewers, soak them 20 minutes.

Easy substitutions

Chicken breast
Chicken thigh meat
Cumin
Paprika
Pita
Rice

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate the chicken up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat at 350°F for 8 minutes. Do not microwave it dry.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
420
Protein
42 g
Carbs
32 g
Fat
12 g
Fiber
2 g

Moderate · Oven · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients