Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab

Step 1

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then place them on a cutting board. Slice each breast lengthwise into three long strips about 0.75 inches wide, cutting parallel to the cutting board surface.

Step 2

Cut each chicken strip crosswise into 1.5-inch cubes, like cutting a log into rounds. You should have roughly 16–20 pieces total.

Step 3

Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 4

Slice the onion in half from root to tip, then peel away the papery skin. Lay each half flat and slice lengthwise into three thick wedges.

Step 5

Pour 0.33 cup olive oil into a medium bowl, then squeeze in 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Stir them together with a fork until combined.

Step 6

Add the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon paprika, 0.5 teaspoon cumin, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper to the oil mixture. Stir with a fork until the spices are evenly distributed, about 30 seconds.

Step 7

Place the chicken cubes in a large bowl or a 1-gallon zip-lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and stir or shake until every piece is coated in marinade.

Step 8

Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. If using the refrigerator, remove it 10 minutes before grilling.

Step 9

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes so they don't char on the grill. Metal skewers do not need soaking.

Step 10

Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto the skewers, alternating with onion wedges—chicken, onion, chicken, onion—until all pieces are used, about 4–5 pieces of chicken per skewer.

Step 11

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. You'll know it's ready when you can hold your hand 2 inches above the grates for only 2–3 seconds before it feels too hot.

Step 12

Carefully lay the skewers on the hot grill with space between them. You should hear a loud sizzle when they touch the grates.

Step 13

Cook without moving the skewers for 2 minutes until the bottom surface of the chicken turns golden brown with charred edges.

Step 14

Rotate each skewer one quarter turn (90 degrees) so a new side of the chicken faces the heat. Cook for 2 more minutes until that side is also golden brown.

Step 15

Rotate again one quarter turn and cook for 2 more minutes. Then rotate one final time and cook for 2 minutes. Total cooking time is about 8 minutes—the chicken should be cooked through.

Step 16

Pierce the thickest piece of chicken with a fork or knife tip—it should be opaque white inside with no pink, and juices should run clear.

Step 17

Carefully slide the chicken and onion off the skewers onto a serving plate or platter. Serve hot.