WOWSER, these were so friggin’ good! While the original Milk Street recipe broiled the skewers, we decided to grill them for a more enhanced char. The skewers are then finished with the juice of charred lemon halves that have been drizzled with honey, along with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Cilantro, flat-leaf parsley or mint are good choices, alone or, as we did, in combination.
As a perfect accompaniment we also grilled vegetables tossed in EVOO, salt and pepper. Some skewers were laced with red and green bell pepper along with onion wedges; while others consisted of cherry tomatoes and mushroom caps. We purposely arranged them separately because the onion and pepper pieces took longer to cook. And if you’re not restricting carbs or gluten, tricolored couscous can round out the meal nicely.
Some reviewers commented that they used pomegranate molasses as a finishing drizzle with the herbs because it’s not as sweet as honey but still adds another interesting texture and taste. I think that’s worth a try!
Grilled Moroccan Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 2 lemons, halved
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. honey, plus extra to drizzle
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1½ lbs. halved boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Chopped fresh herbs
Directions
- Preheat the grill for direct high heat.
- In a medium bowl, mix the lemon zest and juice, oil, honey, ginger, spices, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside 2 tablespoons.
- Toss the chicken with the remaining mixture. Scrunch the chicken onto metal skewers, then place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Add the 4 lemon halves.
- Oil the grates and grill chicken and lemon halves until charred, about 12 minutes, flipping the chicken skewers halfway through.
- Spoon the reserved lemon-oil mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle with herbs.
- Drizzle the lemon halves with honey and serve alongside for squeezing over the chicken.
Adapted from a recipe for Milk Street
Accounting for Taste 