Miso Yogurt Chicken Skewers With Green Olives And Dates Recipes

YOGURT-MARINATED CHICKEN SKEWERS

Steps:

• For the ras al hanout: Add the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, cayenne, cloves, allspice, coriander, pepper and turmeric to a jar with a lid. Cover and shake to combine. Measure out 1 tablespoon for the chicken and put in a large bowl. Store the remaining spice for up to 3 months in the jar and use as desired.
• For the chicken: In the bowl with the ras al hanout, add the yogurt, mint, oil, salt, sugar, harissa, garlic, finely chopped onion, juice from half of the lemon and about 12 turns of pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon) and mix to combine. Fold in the chicken to evenly coat, then cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
• Thread the chicken pieces on the skewers, adding the bell pepper and onion pieces in between the meat.
• Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the skewers, turning them occasionally, until they're deeply browned on all sides and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Squeeze with the juice from the remaining lemon half before serving.

YARDBIRD'S GREEN MISO CHICKEN BREAST SKEWERS

Steps:

• Make the green miso marinade. Place the basil, parsley, and pine nuts in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. While the blender is running, slowly add the olive oil, pouring it in a steady stream, until it is blended together. Add the miso soup and roasted garlic and blend again until smooth.
• Trim any excess fat from the outside of the chicken breast. Cut the the thin end of the breast into a 2-inch (5-cm) wide piece. Cut the remaining piece lengthwise. Then cut the resulting lengths in half. Cut the pieces of breast so that you end up with 25 even bite-sized rectangular pieces. Starting with the thinnest pieces of meat, pinch the meat so that the shiny side faces up and skewer directly through the middle of the meat. Repeat, being sure that the shiny side is facing up and that you are skewering directly through the middle of the meat, until you end up with five skewers with five chunks of chicken per skewer. Each skewer should weigh about 1½ ounces.
• Place the prepared skewers in a shallow baking dish in a single layer. Cover with the prepared marinade, cover, and chill for at least one hour.
• Start with the smooth-side down over high heat, grilling until light brown, 2-3 minutes. Rotate ¼ turn, cook on each side until lightly colored, about 1 minute per side. Once three sides are colored, finish cooking on the last side until dark brown, about 2 minutes. Spray with sake and lightly season with salt to finish. Garnish by adding one lemon wedge to each skewer before serving.

YOGURTY MARINATED CHICKEN SKEWERS

Steps:

• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.
• Thread the chicken, red onion, zucchini and bell pepper on the skewers, alternating and pushing the pieces close together to fill the skewers tightly. Put the skewers in a baking dish or other nonreactive container that will fit them in one layer. Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt.
• Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, mint, honey, cumin, cayenne, garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour all but about 1 cup of the marinade over the skewers and turn to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate the skewers and reserved marinade for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling to return to room temperature.
• Preheat an outdoor grill or a 2-burner grill pan to medium heat and brush with olive oil.
• Remove the skewers from the marinade and brush off the excess. Grill, turning occasionally to evenly char all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the skewers with the reserved marinade as a dipping sauce.

MISO-YOGURT CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH GREEN OLIVES AND DATES

Steps:

• If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak 8 in water for at least 15 minutes before threading to ensure they don't burn.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the chicken thighs in half lengthwise. Season both sides with salt and set aside.
• Stir together the yogurt, garlic, miso, honey, lemon zest, half of the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large bowl. Reserve half of the mixture in a separate small bowl to use as a dipping sauce. Add the chicken to the large bowl, toss to combine and let marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients (see Cook's Note).
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the dates and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the remaining lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Melt the butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds, cumin seeds and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous and a generous 4-finger pinch of salt. Cover, remove from the heat and let the couscous sit until all the liquid has been absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy skillet, griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Thread the chicken onto 8 skewers. Spread any marinade left in the bowl over the chicken so it's evenly covered. Drizzle with olive and evenly coat the surface with a brush or paper towel. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, turning the skewers every 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 14 to 16 minutes. If the chicken sticks to the pan, wait to move it until it releases easily.
• Divide the skewers among plates. Put a generous scoop of couscous on each and top the couscous with the onion mixture. Place a dollop of the reserved yogurt sauce alongside, for dipping. Enjoy!