Are you looking to try something new for dinner? Make these Chicken Kofta Kebabs with Garlicky Yogurt Sauce in 30 minutes, and serve with rice and veggies on the side.
For the garlicky yogurt sauce (see notes for dairy-free options)
½cupplain unsweetened yogurtGreek or plain, fat-free or low fat
1clove garlicfinely minced
1tablespoonparsley leavesfinely minced
zest of 1 lemon
1tablespoonlemon juicefrom ½ lemon
¼teaspoonsaltor more to taste
¼teaspoonground black pepperor more to taste
Instructions
Prepare the kebabs
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a large baking sheet with oil or line with parchment paper. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 15 minutes to prevent them burning in the oven.
In a small food processor, combine the roughly chopped onion, parsley bunch, and garlic cloves and pulse until everything is finely chopped and well combined. You'll have some liquid in there, this is fine and should be added to the chicken mixture in the next step as well.ORFinely chop the onion, parsley leaves, and garlic.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the kebabs and stir well, making sure all the spices are mixed evenly into the meat.
Use your hands to form elongated patties, then push the skewer through each of the patties. Use your hands to "fix" their shape, if needed.
Place on the prepared baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve with the garlicky yogurt sauce, rice, and a side salad.
Prepare the garlicky yogurt sauce
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle over the chicken kofta kebabs to serve. Store leftover sauce in a closed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
It's your choice whether to use the food processor to chop the onion-parsley-garlic mixture or to dice them by hand. Using the food processor makes a more fine onion mixture so the kebabs won't have little bits of onion, but makes for more dirty dishes. Dicing it by hand takes a few minutes longer but still makes delicious chicken kofta kebabs.
You'll need minced parsley and minced garlic for both the kebabs and the yogurt sauce, so prep for both at the same time!
Feel free to substitute ground turkey for ground chicken, or use a combination of ground meats.
If you're not a huge fan of parsley, feel free to combine it with other herbs. I do not recommend substituting 100% of parsley for 100% of one other herb (for example, a whole bunch of cilantro or basil might be too strong), but recommend using a mixture of herbs, such as cilantro, basil, oregano, marjoram, tarragon, or even a little fresh mint. You should have about ¾ cup fresh herbs, but feel free to reduce that to taste.
For a dairy-free garlicky sauce, you can use a plain unsweetened coconut yogurt or almond milk yogurt, or try the tahini sauce from this recipe to add some healthy fats to your diet.