Lebanese Yoghurt-Marinated Chicken Recipe

Author:: Ryan Thomas

I'm particularly interested in travel, reading, history, and cooking.

I love experimenting and trying new food but lately, I have been trying to make lighter recipes. After a trip to Senegal (which, although I greatly enjoyed, involved eating a lot of very heavy food) I was left craving lighter fare, and due to family members' various special diets, I've been trying to make something lighter.

This Lebanese-inspired dish is light, fresh, and perfect, with chicken marinated in yoghurt, mint, garlic, lemon juice, onion, and olive oil, producing a delightful savory flavor. Chicken is an excellent match for the yoghurt flavor. I try to serve it Lebanese style, with pita bread, but it pairs well with plenty of other things as well.

This recipe is an adaption of that which I had found in the book Rose Water and Orange Blossoms by Maureen Abood.

Ingredients

1 cup plain yoghurt
1 grated medium-sized onion
3 minced garlic cloves
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dried mint
1.5 to 2 pounds chicken
salt
pepper

For the optional garlic sauce:

5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the chicken for marinating, which you should plan to do 8-24 hours before it is cooked. Mix together the yoghurt, grated onion, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and mint in a bowl. Chop the chicken into 1-2" cubes and add it into the bowl, mix well, and refrigerate. The longer it refrigerates, the better.
At some point, prepare the garlic sauce (which is optional, but I personally quite like it). Mince garlic cloves, combine with salt, and blend in food processor or blender or equivalent. Add in the oil, blend it a bit more, then add water and the oil. This can be preserved up to several weeks in refrigerator.
Begin to prepare your coals or preheat the broiler for cooking chicken.
Remove the chicken from the marinade (dry off some yoghurt if needed), thread it onto skewers, and season it with salt and pepper. The marinade can be discarded.
Grill chicken for about 10 minutes on the grill (until there is a bit of blackening) or 20 minutes in the broiler. Serve with the garlic sauce drizzled over it or on the side.