Turkish Chicken Kebabs � Expect More

I�d like to think that all the chicken coming off American grills this summer will be as tasty, juicy, and tender, as these Turkish chicken kebabs, but I know better. This has nothing to do with cooking skills, or quality of grills, but rather the unremarkable residue of low expectations.

People simply don�t expect much from their grilled chicken, and that�s exactly what they get. They use too little seasoning, and way too much time on the grill, followed by the inevitable barbecue sauce cover-up. Sure, the chicken was dry, but at least we couldn�t taste it.

It doesn�t have to be this way. By using a flavorful, yogurt-based marinade, like the one seen herein, even inexperienced grillers can produce impressive results. The acid and calcium in the yogurt tenderizes the meat, and unless it�s horribly over-cooked, you�ll be enjoying the kind of succulent chicken you didn�t even realize was possible.

Like I mentioned in the video, I�m not sure how "Turkish" this is. It�s loosely based on a lamb marinade I�ve used for a long time, but it really worked beautifully on these thighs. I really hope you give this easy, and very adaptable recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 or 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp ketchup

6 finely minced garlic cloves

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp Aleppo red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

4 long metal skewers