Labor Day BBQ #1 - Sunday Moroccan Chicken Brochettes With Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Labor Day weekend! We are gleefully flaunting our disregard of the restriction on patio grills by grilling not once this holiday weekend, but twice! And with charcoal so our transgression is particularly public.

I was especially disappointed that Phoenix seems to restrict all private grills on patios and balconies in multi-unit communities, but The Colonel had seen many examples of grills in use once he moved in. We figured we'd risk it.

It's been happily used a few times. We had some lovely ribeyes one night, some burgers and marinated London Broil. This was the first non-beef use. We return to beef for Labor Day.

I had a large package of wooden skewers unpacked in one of the rounds of disgorging boxes this past week, and The Colonel expressed a desire for kebabs. I had seen a recipe for Moroccan-spiced chicken brochettes, with paprika and cumin, with the final product dressed with a thick garlic sauce. I decided to also add yogurt to the marinade and add some coriander along with the other spices. I prepped the thighs the day before so they'd have a nice long, savory bath.

I made a simple salad of chopped cucumber, red onion, sliced cherry tomatoes and chopped Italian parsley, with red wine vinegar and olive oil to go along.

Mangia!

Moroccan Chicken Brochettes

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

Garlic Sauce:

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Kosher salt

1/3 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons plain yogurt

Chicken:

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2" pieces

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil (for grilling)

2 cups Couscous, cooked with chicken broth, with 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/3 cup sliced almonds stirred in after cooking
 

Warm pita or flatbread (for serving)

Special equipment: Sixteen 8" bamboo or metal skewers (if using wood, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking so they do not burn)
 

Preparation

Garlic Sauce:

Place garlic in a mortar; season with salt and pound to a very fine paste. (Alternatively, place garlic on a cutting board, season with salt, and mash with the side of a chef's knife.) Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and gradually whisk in oil.

Very gradually whisk yogurt into garlic mixture until emulsified. (Add too fast and sauce will break. If it does break, gradually whisk in 1 teaspoon water just before serving.)

Do ahead: Garlic sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Chicken:

Toss chicken, garlic, parsley, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl; season with salt. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Prepare grill for medium-high heat and oil grate. Thread chicken onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 8-12 minutes. Serve with garlic sauce, pita bread, labneh and couscous

Do ahead: Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.