Tavuk Şiş
Turkish Chicken Shish Kebabs
Submitted By: Taz

Ingredients:

2 lbs Boneless / Skinless Chicken (Tavuk)* - cut into 1 inch ‘cubes’

Marinade:
½ Cup Plain Full Fat Yogurt (Yoğurt)
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Zeytinyağı)
6 cloves Fresh Garlic (Sarımsak) - grated into a paste
Juice of 1 Lemon (Limon Suyu)
1 Tbs Tomato Paste (Salça)
1 Tbs Dried Mint (Kuru Nane)
1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt (Tuz) or to taste 
1 Tbs Sweet Paprika (Tatlı Kırmızı Biber)
1 tsp Cumin Powder (Kimyon Tozu)
½ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper (Karabiber)
¼ tsp Aleppo Pepper (Halep Biberi) - can substitute cayenne pepper if desired
⅛ tsp Dried Thyme (Kuru Kekik)
-OPTIONAL-
1-2 tsp Urfa Pepper Flakes (Urfa Biber) - if you want them spicy 

Preparation:
  1. Place all of the marinade ingredients into a large bowl and whisk to combine
  2. Fold in the chicken ‘cubes’ making sure all are well coated and covered
  3. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a minimum 2 hours (overnight for better results) 
  4. Once the chicken has marinated for the desired time, thread 4-6 chicken pieces onto metal or soaked wooden skewers making sure that the pieces are touching but not tightly pressed together - DO NOT DISCARD MARINADE
  5. You can grill your Tavuk Şiş OR use the oven broiler:
  6. To Grill: Ready your grill with a medium-hot fire (300-400°F) - Once ready, grill your Tavuk Şiş flipping and brushing with the leftover marinade frequently until they have developed a slight char and are cooked trough (apx 10-15 minutes) BE SURE AND NOT BRUSH WITH MARINADE FOR THE LAST 4 MINUTES - Remove from heat and serve immediately
  7. Oven Broiler: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your Tavuk Şiş about 1 inch apart - Set an oven rack at the top most position (apx 4 inches from the broiler) and set your oven to high broil – Place the baking sheet directly below the broiler and allow your Tavuk Şiş to cook (turning and brushing with leftover marinade every 2 minutes) until they have developed a slight char and are cooked trough (apx 10-15 minutes total) BE SURE AND NOT BRUSH WITH MARINADE FOR THE LAST 4 MINUTES – Remove from heat and serve immediately
  8. Serve hot along with warmed Turkish flat bread (Bazlama) or pita, some charred tomatoes and chiles, Piyaz Salata (Turkish white bean salad) or Patates Salatası (Turkish Potato Salad), a side of Cacik (Turkish yogurt sauce) or Toum (Garlick Sauce), and rice for a complete meal
* Can use white or dark meat