Grilled Parsley-Lime Chicken Skewers

Just like my lamb kebabs, the secret of these succulent and fragrant chicken skewers is the marinade—a glorious, tangy and green flavour base with parsley for its grassy, herbaceous note, and lime for acidity, all rounded out with jalapeños for heat. The trick is to let the chicken sit bathed in the marinade for as long as possible—ideally 2–4 hours. But if you are pressed for time, then set aside ¼ cup of marinade and brush it on while the skewers grill.

Ingredients

4 lbs [1½ kg] boneless, skinless Chicken breasts and thighs, cut into 2-inch-thich pieces
Twelve 10-inch-long Skewers*

Marinade: 

1 cup flat-leaf Parsley (leaves and stalks)
Grated rind of 1 Lime
Juice of 1 Lime
½ small Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4–5 cloves Garlic, peeled
1-inch piece Ginger, peeled
1 medium Jalapeño
Salt (to taste)
¼ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Put parsley, lime rind and juice, onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño in a food processor and grind to a smooth paste. Transfer paste to a mixing bowl, large enough to accommodate the marinade and chicken. 
2. Add remaining marinade ingredients to bowl and stir to incorporate. Add chicken and mix well with marinade. Cover the bowl will plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs, or up to 1 day. Prior to cooking, remove bowl from fridge, thread chicken pieces onto skewers, and bring to room temperature. 
3. Pre-heat a charcoal/gas grill or grill-pan on medium for 25 mins. Turn the heat to high 5 mins before cooking. When the grill surface is smoking hot, add skewers, and let grill on their first side for 3 mins, or until well charred. Then gently turn every 2 mins until the remaining sides are well caramelised. 
4. Remove skewers onto a platter and let sit for 5 mins. Serve drizzled with olive oil and lime juice.

*TIP: If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for ½ hour prior to cooking, to prevent them from singeing on the grill.

Yogurt-Marinated Lamb Skewers

This is my signature, fail-safe lamb kebab recipe. It’s such a crowd-pleasing favourite, that no matter how much I make, the skewers always disappear in minutes. The recipe works just as well with baby lamb rib chops; but there is something incomparable and visually irresistible about aromatic, charred chunks of meat waiting to be plucked off of obliging skewers. This kebab is terrific paired with warm pita bread and any of my cool, crunchy side salads—
Radish Salad with Dried Mint 
Cucumber Radish Salad with Ginger and Green Chillies 
Jicama-Mango Salad
Pear and Watercress Salad with Szechwan Peppercorns 

Ingredients 

2 lbs [1 kg] boneless leg of Lamb, cut into 2-inch-thich pieces
Six 12-inch-long Skewers*

Marinade: 

1 small Onion, peeled and quartered
5–6 cloves Garlic, peeled
2-inch piece Ginger, peeled
½ cup plain, unsweetened Yogurt (preferably a strained, Greek-style yogurt)
2 tbsp ground Coriander
1 tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp ground Garam Masala
1 tsp Chilli powder
¼ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
Salt (to taste)
Juice of ½ lemon (reserve the squeezed lemon piece—rind, pith, and pulp—cut into quarters, for use in the marinade)

1. Put onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and grind to a smooth paste. Transfer paste to a large mixing bowl, large enough to accommodate the marinade and lamb. 
2. Add remaining marinade ingredients to bowl, except the quartered lemon pieces, and stir to incorporate. Add lamb and mix well with marinade. Tuck in the quartered lemon pieces into the meat, cover the bowl will plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hrs, or up to 1 day. Prior to cooking, remove lamb from fridge, thread meat pieces onto skewers, and bring to room temperature.
3. Pre-heat a charcoal/gas grill or grill-pan on medium for 25 mins. Turn the heat to high 5 mins before cooking. When the grill surface is smoking hot, add skewers, and let grill on their first side for 3 mins, or until well charred. Then gently turn every 2 mins until the remaining sides are well caramelised. 
4. Remove skewers onto a platter and let sit for 5 mins before serving. 

*TIP: If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for ½ hour prior to cooking, to prevent them from singeing on the grill.

Coriander-Tomato-Crusted Lamb Chops

Just in time for Memorial Day and the official start of summer grilling season, here is one of my signature lamb chop recipes, which can be cooked either in the oven or on an outdoor grill. Like my spare ribs recipe, you can marinate the meat well in advance, and easily size-up the quantities for large gatherings.

Ingredients 

5 lbs racks of Lamb rib chops (trimmed of excess fat and frenched)

Marinade: 

1 small Onion, peeled and quartered
8–10 cloves of Garlic, peeled
2-inch piece of Ginger, peeled
1 small Tomato, quartered
1 cup Coriander leaves (Cilantro); plus an additional ¼ cup, finely chopped, for a garnish
4 tbsp ground Coriander
1½ tbsp ground Cumin
1 tsp ground Fennel
1 tsp ground Fenugreek
1/8 tsp ground Cardamom
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Chilli powder
Salt (to taste)

1. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and coriander leaves in a food processor and grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a bowl, add remaining marinade ingredients, and mix well. 
2. Wash and pat dry racks of lamb. Thoroughly slather lamb on all sides with the marinade, lay flat and stack them in a large airtight container, pouring any leftover marinade over the meat. Cover the container will plastic wrap and seal tightly. Let meat marinate in the fridge for at least 1 day, and up to 7 days if needed. 
3. Remove lamb from fridge and bring down to room temperature. Place lamb onto a large roasting pan with the fat side up and cook in a 425ºF (220ºC) pre-heated oven for 20 mins. Then lower temperature to 400ºF (205ºC) and cook for 35–40 mins, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 140ºF (60ºC), i.e.—medium-rare. For well done meat, cook an extra 15 mins until the meat registers 175ºF (80ºC). 
4. Remove lamb from pan and rest on a cutting board, covered in foil, for 15–20 mins. Cut lamb in between each rib bone, garnish with chopped coriander and serve immediately. 

[If you’re using a grill, then roast the ribs in the oven for 20 mins only, then cook the remaining time over indirect heat on a charcoal or gas grill.]