There is nothing more creative in the kitchen than working around with spices. You simply toss spices with different tastes, textures & origins to create a totally new flavor.

Since I have Indian blood in my family, Indian spices are a staple in my kitchen. I love how spicy yet sweet & deep they are.

This recipe has been in our family for ages; makes for a perfect summer grill by the beach & a winter stove cooked dish in the winter. No fancy ingredients needed so don’t be overwhelmed by the list of spices in the recipe because most probably they will be sitting around in your pantry.

What I love about this marinade is how flexible it is; you can use it to make shish tawook, oven roasted whole chicken or simply pan seared chicken fillet.

Marinade your chicken the night before & all you have to do is grill the chicken to have lunch/dinner ready in 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 800 gm chicken breast fillet cut into medium sized cubes
• 1 pack yoghurt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves minced ثوم مفروم
• 1 hot chili pepper finely diced (optional) قرن فلفل حار
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric كركم
• 1 tsp ginger جنزبيل
• 1 tsp paprika بابريكا
• 1 tsp dried coriander كسبرة ناشفة
• 1/2 tsp cumin كمون
• 1/2 tsp onion powder بصل بودرة
• Salt & Pepper

For grilling:

• 3 medium onions cut into chunks
• Olive oil for brushing the grill
• Skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes عيدان خشب منقوعة فى الماء

Directions:

• Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Coat the chicken with the marinade & refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours up to overnight.
• Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers alternating with the onion chunks.
• Preheat the grill on the stove on high heat until hot. Brush with olive oil.
• Grill the chicken, turning occasionally until golden brown on all sides & cooked through; about 10-12 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Notes:

1. You can use chicken thighs instead of breast but cooking time will vary accordingly.
2. You can use the same marination for roasting a whole chicken in the oven.
3. In case you don’t have skewers, you can grill the chicken pieces directly on the grill.
4. In case you don’t have a stove top grill, you can cook the chicken pieces in a hot pan greased with olive oil.
5. Make sure to soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes so that they don’t get burnt on the grill.