Name: Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Aleppo Pepper
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper* or 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, plus additional Aleppo pepper or paprika for sprinkling; 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt** (8 ounces); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened; 2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving; 2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken (thighs and/or breast halves), cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes; Flat metal skewers

Photo by Hans Gissinger

Musa Dagdeviren is the go-to guy if you want to know about Turkish barbecue. Spend a couple of hours with him in the open kitchen of one of his Çiya restaurants (in Istanbul), and you'll wonder if there's anything he doesn't know about Turkish cuisine, let alone grilling. He'll start with chicken thighs marinated in creamy Turkish yogurt, chile paste, and garlic—to be grilled on skewers over charcoal. Before you know it, he's grilling meatballs, quinces, shallots, even bread dough loaded with ground beef. Heres one of the "simpler" dishes in Musa's repertoire—if simple means merely marinated, spice-crusted, and grilled—and the combination of creamy yogurt, pungent garlic, and smoky pepper flakes produces the sort of chicken that has made the Turks the Near East's undisputed grill masters for centuries.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper* or 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, plus additional Aleppo pepper or paprika for sprinkling

1 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt** (8 ounces)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened

2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving

2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken (thighs and/or breast halves), cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes

Special Equipment

Flat metal skewers

Preparation

Step 1
If using Aleppo pepper, place in large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. If using dried crushed red pepper and paprika combination, place in large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until paste forms, about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to spice mixture in bowl; whisk to blend. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Step 2
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper or paprika. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter. Surround with lemon wedges and serve.
Step 3
*A slightly sweet Syrian pepper with a moderate heat level; available at some specialty foods stores and from wholespice.com.
Step 4
**A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods markets) and Greek markets. If unavailable, place regular yogurt in cheesecloth-lined strainer set over large bowl. Cover and chill overnight to drain.
Ingredient tip:
Step 5
Aleppo pepper is sold finely ground or crushed into small flakes; either one will work well in this recipe.

TagsSkewer Turkish Middle Eastern Yogurt Dairy Chicken Thigh Chicken Poultry Chicken Breast Aleppo-Style Pepper Herbs & Spices Main Dinner Gluten Free Nut Free Grilling Ramadan Bon Appétit

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

These 77 Chicken Dinners Are Winners
Our favorite roast chicken, chicken salads, easy baked chicken, and more.
41 Time-Saving Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipes
Forget chicken breasts—boneless chicken thighs are just as easy to cook and so much more flavorful.
81 Healthy Summer Grilling Recipes
Nothing against cheeseburgers or anything, but sometimes you want some grilled fish and veggies.
94 Middle Eastern Recipes We Love
Tabbouleh, lamb flatbreads, pomegranate-glazed chicken, fattoush salad, and so much more.