Ingredients
These kebabs are street royalty - soft, fragrant and cooked fast. We use a cheeky bicarbonate trick to unlock succulent, tender chicken, and then hit it with ginger, garlic, cardamom and garam masala. Threaded like koftas, grilled golden and brushed with ghee, they’re destined for summer plates and naan wraps alike. Crooning, not shouting - a little glamour for the garden party.
Serves 4–6
- 450g to 500g chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless
- 2 to 3 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 handful crispy fried onions (shop-bought or homemade)
- 2 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 heaped tbsp besan (gram flour) or blitzed oats
- 1 green chilli, chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (or seeds from 3 or 4 pods)
- 2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- Ghee or melted butter, for brushing
- Soaked bamboo or metal skewers
Minted Cucumber Yoghurt Chutney
Fresh, fast, cooling chaos - in a bowl. This chutney is a whisper of calm - grated cucumber folded through thick yoghurt, bright with lime, sugar and herbs. Serve it beside the kebabs or drizzle over rice; it's where chill meets charm.
Serves 4–6
- ½ cucumber, grated
- 200g thick Greek yoghurt
- Juice of ½ lime
- ½ tsp sugar
- Small handful mint leaves, torn
- A few basil leaves, torn
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Optional: drizzle of olive oil or mustard oil
Optional: pomegranate seeds (to garnish)
Method
- Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over chicken thighs and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blitz ginger, garlic, fried onions, yoghurt, lime juice, garam masala, cardamom, salt, besan (or oats), and green chilli into a smooth paste.
- Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs, then cut into pieces suitable for skewering.
- Add chicken pieces to the spice paste and mix well to coat. Let rest briefly.
- Thread chicken onto soaked skewers - firm and smooth like koftas.
- Pan-sear, grill, hot roast or BBQ the skewers until golden and cooked through, brushing with ghee or melted butter as they cook.
- Serve with lemon rice, naan, pickled onions, and yoghurt herb chutney.
- The kebab goes couture - tender, fragrant, and fit for a crowd.
Minted Cucumber Yoghurt Chutney
- Grate the cucumber and squeeze out most of the water.
- Mix the cucumber into yoghurt with lime juice, sugar, and salt.
- Tear in the mint and basil then add garlic if using.
- Stir well and season with black pepper.
- Garnish with a drizzle of oil and pomegranate seeds if desired.
This is your kebab's best mate — cool, creamy, and unapologetically green.
