This Chicken Kofta recipe is both delicious and easy to prepare! The chicken comes out tender, juicy, and loaded with flavor, plus they only need around 6 minutes to cook on the grill! Chicken kofta kebabs can be stuffed into Middle Eastern bread, or served with this Lebanese Mujadara recipe.
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I just got done making my first batch of these amazing chicken kofta skewers. I cooked the first two in my air fryer because my husband, Scott, was famished, and I didn't want to make him wait until the grill got hot. So thanks to Scott, I'm including air fryer instructions too!
To make them, I ground some boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I wanted the chicken kofta skewers to be nice and juicy. I suppose you can use store-bought ground chicken to speed up the process, but I prefer grinding the chicken myself.
Since I already had my meat grinder out, I took the opportunity to grind the onion, pita bread, and garlic along with the chicken, which I alternated feeding into the grinder. Doing so helped to meld the ingredients together very nicely.
I usually make kofta kebab with ground beef or lamb, but after coming up with these chicken kebabs, they will definitely make it into my regular dinner rotation!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Although I used a meat grinder, this chicken kofta recipe can be as simple as tossing all the ingredients together in a food processor and then cooking them on the grill, in a pan, or in an air fryer.
- The chicken mixture can be prepared ahead of time and even portioned and frozen for when you want a quick and delicious lunch or dinner in no time at all!
- We like our ground chicken skewers (and everything else) a little spicy, but the cayenne pepper can be left out to suit your taste.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken: Boneless & Skinless chicken thighs, but may substitute chicken breasts or store-bought ground chicken.
- Onion: One small onion
- Garlic: Two cloves of garlic
- Spices: Sea salt, black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, sumac powder, and cayenne (optional). I also used hot paprika, but sweet paprika can be used instead.
- Herbs: The recipe calls for dried oregano and parsley; fresh herbs, including fresh mint, would be fantastic! For every teaspoon of dried herbs in this recipe, substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.
- Egg: One large egg or 2 small ones.
- Pita: One small pita, I used whole wheat, but white is fine. If you don't have pita bread, feel free to use 1 piece of toast or ½ cup of breadcrumbs.
- Oil: Olive oil to mix in with the other ingredients and brush the chicken kofta while grilling or before air frying.
- Lemon Juice: One tablespoon of fresh or bottled lemon juice.
🍗 How to Make This Chicken Kofta Recipe
Step 1: If you have a meat grinder, grind thawed and chopped chicken, roughly chopped onion, garlic cloves, and torn pita bread, alternating the ingredients to blend them. You can also use a food processor.
Pro Tip: If using a food processor, the final consistency should be close to a paste. You'll want to use the pulse option so as not over-blend the chicken.
Step 2: Add one egg, the dried herbs, seasoning, and spices, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix with your hands until blended, then run through the grinder an additional time. Refrigerate for one hour ata minimum.
Step 3: Portion the mixture into eight 4.5-ounce meatballs. Dip your hands into ice water, then form the chicken kofta mixture over a flat skewer. Use your hands to work the meat over the skewer, making indentations with your thumb, index, and middle finger as you work the chicken mixture up and down the skewer.
Pro Tip: Dipping your hand in ice water helps to keep the ground chicken mixture cold, which will keep it from falling off the skewers or sticking to your hands.
Step 4: If making ahead, refrigerate or freeze on a tray until you plan on grilling the chicken skewers. Heat and clean the grill, then mix the remaining olive oil with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Step 5: Brush chicken on both sides with olive oil and lemon juice, then grill over medium-high heat, as you brush and flip the skewers every 30 seconds or so for 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has beautiful grill marks.
Step 6: Carefully slide the chicken off the skewers. Sprinkle with more sumac and garnish with cilantro, mint, or parsley.
Air Fryer Instructions
If using an air fryer, form each portion into a long flat log and brush both sides with lemon juice and olive oil. Air fry in a pre-heated 375 degrees F air fryer for 5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Serve chicken kofta kebabs with Baghali Polo, Lebanese tabouli salad, and garlic tahini sauce or this chicken yogurt sauce. For something brighter, spoon some chermoula over the top. You can also wrap them in lavash bread with some Lebanese hummus and toum garlic sauce. A sprinkle of sumac, and some chopped onion and cilantro or some fresh parsley, is always encouraged!
Looking for more chicken recipes? If so, check out this sticky sesame chicken (with spicy option) and my easy chicken scallopini recipe!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Chicken kofta is prepared with ground chicken, onion, fresh herbs (for example, parsley and mint), and spices including salt, pepper, paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, and sumac.
If you use lean meat or overcook kofta, they can become dry. Adding a little olive oil, an egg, or a slice of bread are some ways to keep the kofta juicy and tender.
Chicken kabobs can be frozen both raw or fully cooked, as long as they're packaged properly to keep them from getting freezer-burned. For best results, consume within 3 months.
To cook chicken kofta in an air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F, then cook chicken kofta for 5 minutes on each side or until they reach 165 degrees F.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute a small potato for the pita bread.
- Chicken koftas can be frozen either before grilling or after.
- I prefer metal skewers to wooden skewers because they're more authentic; however, it's really a matter of preference.
- Another way to cook chicken kofta is on the stovetop. Just form the ground chicken mixture into ovals like this Kotletai recipe. Or form into burgers, then fry in a cast-iron skillet.
- Store leftover chicken kofta kabobs in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days or freeze in freezer bags for 3 months.
🥣 More Middle Eastern Recipes
If you enjoy this chicken kofta kebab recipe, check out these related posts!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If you have a meat grinder, grind thawed and chopped chicken, roughly chopped onion, garlic cloves, and torn pita bread, alternating the ingredients to blend them. You can also use a food processor.
- Add one egg, the dried herbs, seasoning and spices, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix with your hands until blended, then run through the grinder an additional time. Refrigerate for one hour at minimum.
- Portion the mixture into eight 4.5 ounce meatballs. Dip your hands into ice water, then form chicken kofta mixture over a flat skewer. Use your hands to work the meat over the skewer, making indentations with your thumb, index, and middle finger as you work the chicken mixture up and down the skewer.
- If making ahead, refrigerate or freeze on a tray until you plan on grilling the chicken skewers. Heat and clean grill, then mix the remaining olive oil with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Brush chicken on both sides with olive oil and lemon juice, then grill over medium-high heat, as you brush and flip the skewers every 30 seconds or so for 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has beautiful grill marks.
- Carefully slide chicken off skewers. Sprinkle with more sumac and garnish with cilantro, mint, or parsley.
- If using an air fryer, form each portion into a long flat log and brush both sides with lemon juice and olive oil. Air fry in a pre-heated 375℉ air fryer for 5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.
Nutrition
Notes
- If using a food processor, the final consistency should be close to a paste. You'll want to use the pulse option as to not over-blend the chicken.
- Dipping your hand in ice water helps to keep the ground chicken mixture cold, which will keep it from falling off the skewers or sticking to your hands.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute a small potato for the pita bread.
- I prefer metal skewers to wooden skewers because they're more authentic, however, it's really a matter of preference.
- Another way to cook chicken kofta is on the stove top. Just form the ground chicken mixture into ovals like this Kotletai recipe. Or form into burgers, then fry in a cast iron skillet.
- Store leftover chicken kofta kabobs in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days or freeze in freezer bags for 3 months.
- Chicken koftas can be frozen either before grilling or after.
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