Can you put skewers in the oven?

Yes! It is fine to put skewers in the oven - but you do need to bear a few things in mind. If you use metal skewers, remember the ends will be very hot when you take them out of the oven. You may wish to thread them off the skewers before serving - especially if giving to little ones. Alternatively, you can use bamboo skewers. However, these need to be soaked in water for about 30 minutes before using.

How do you keep baked chicken skewers juicy?

The secret to juicy baked chicken skewers is the yoghurt marinade. It helps tenderise the meat and keep it moist. The longer you can marinade it the better. You need at least 1 hour, but overnight is ideal.

What else can I serve these baked chicken skewers with?

This is such a versatile dish! I love the combination of the spiced baked chicken skewers with fluffy rice, but you can swap it for other grains. Regular or giant couscous, quinoa or bulgur wheat are all delicious. Merchant Gourmet has some fun options. You can also try different flavours of rice like an aromatic pilau if you like your spices. You can also switch up the type of flatbread. Sometimes I serve with naan, other times I opt for pita bread or a soft yoghurt flatbread. The choice is up to you!

Do I have to make the raita?

AnswerNot at all. You can swap the raita for a simple dollop of Greek yoghurt. Perhaps jazzed up with herbs, garlic and/or lemon zest (just skipping the cucumber). Tzaztiki also works really well.

Can I add any garnishes?

Of course! Sometimes I sprinkle over toasted nuts, like almonds, cashews, pine nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts, for extra texture. Roasted chickpeas also taste great (you can add more heat if you roast them in smoked paprika). Alternatively, sprinkle with crispy fried onions. I always have a pot in my cupboard when I want to add extra crunch. They are very moreish.

Can I make these baked chicken skewers in advance?

Yes. One of the great things about these baked chicken skewers is you can prep ahead and leave them to marinate in the fridge overnight. Then all you have to do is bake them off the next day, assemble the salad, whip up the raita and sort out your rice. Remember, there is no shame in using a microwaveable pouch!

Baked Chicken Skewers with Herb Drizzle, Crunchy Salad & Raita

Name: Baked Chicken Skewers with Herb Drizzle, Crunchy Salad and Raita
Prep time: PT-482294H26M12S
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: PT-482294H26M12S
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts, diced into large chunks; 2 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; Pinch of salt; 1 carrot; 1 head baby gem lettuce; 2 spring onions; Olive oil, to taste; Lemon juice, to taste; ½ cucumber; 240g full-fat Greek yoghurt; A few mint leaves, chopped; Lemon juice, to taste; ½ garlic clove, crushed; Pinch of chilli flakes, or to taste; Pinch of salt, to taste; Handful coriander; Olive oil; ½ lemon; Pinch of chilli flakes, or to taste; Pinch of salt, to taste; 2 flatbreads; 300 g cooked rice

Baked Chicken Skewers with Herb Drizzle, Crunchy Salad and Raita

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Looking for a quick and easy meal? These baked chicken skewers are one of my go-tos on a busy weeknight. Imagine tender and spiced baked chicken skewers with fluffy rice, soft flatbreads and a crunchy salad. All topped off with a dollop of cooling cucumber raita.

Author: Margie Nomura
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus marinating
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes + marinating
Yield: Serves 2
Category: Chicken
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Scale

For the baked chicken skewers:

2 large chicken breasts, diced into large chunks
2 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Pinch of salt

For the salad:

1 carrot
1 head baby gem lettuce
2 spring onions
Olive oil, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste

For the raita:

½ cucumber
240g full-fat Greek yoghurt
A few mint leaves, chopped
Lemon juice, to taste
½ garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of chilli flakes, or to taste
Pinch of salt, to taste

For the herb drizzle:

Handful coriander
Olive oil
½ lemon
Pinch of chilli flakes, or to taste
Pinch of salt, to taste

To serve:

2 flatbreads
300 g cooked rice

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Instructions

Dice the chicken into large chunks. Add to a bowl with the yoghurt, spices, minced garlic and a good pinch of salt. Allow to marinade for a minimum of 1 hour. Overnight also works well. Just mix it all in an airtight container and place in fridge overnight.
Preheat the grill to high, an air fryer to 180C or an oven to 200C/180C Fan.
Once the chicken has marinated, add to skewers. Then brush with oil and either grill or air fry for 6 minutes on each side (12 minutes in total) or oven bake for 10 minutes on each side (20 minutes in total) - or until cooked all the way through. The exact time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.
For the salad, peel the carrot and dice into straws, finely chop the lettuce and chop the spring onions. Toss together with a little olive oil and lemon juice.
For the raita, grate the cucumber with a box grater, gather into a ball and squeeze out the excess liquid. Place into a bowl and add the yoghurt along with some chopped mint, a squeeze of lemon, half a grated garlic clove and a pinch of chilli flakes. Mix well and season to taste.
For the herb drizzle finely dice the coriander and place into a separate bowl. Drizzle in some olive oil and lemon juice. Add a pinch of chilli flakes and mix to combine. It should be loose enough to drizzle but not too oily. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Once the skewers are cooked, Divide between 2 plates. Serve with warm flatbread, fluffy rice and the crisp salad. Spoon over the herb drizzle and add a dollop of the cooling cucumber raita.

Notes

Chicken: you can swap the chicken breasts for diced chicken thighs, if you prefer. Diced pork also works well.

Skewers: you can use metal or bamboo skewers for these baked chicken skewers. However, if you opt for the metal ones, remember the ends will be very hot when you remove them from the oven! If using bamboo skewers, always soak them in water 30 minutes before using.

Perfectly cooked: these baked chicken thighs can be cooked on the grill, in an airfryer or oven. Just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly. A regular oven will take slightly longer (around 10 minutes on each side - 20 minutes overall).

Serving suggestions: I love serving these baked chicken skewers with rice, flatbread, salad and raita. However, you can swap for all sorts of different grains. You don’t even need to worry about cooking it yourself, the microwavable pouches are fine. You can also use all sorts of flatbreads (see ‘substitutions’ for ideas). The raita is super simple, but a dollop of Greek yoghurt is just as delicious.

Make ahead: add the chicken pieces to the marinade, then cover and chill overnight. Continue with the recipe the following day.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/baked-chicken-skewers/