These curry chicken skewers in yogurt marinade are an excellent summer dish. They are bright, full of flavour and easy to make.
Curry chicken yogurt marinade is perfect for grilled chicken skewers. It make for are an excellent summer dish that is bright, full of flavour and easy to make.
Now you might be thinking that this is an Indian dish but it is actually not. Curry powder is often confused with an Indian spice but that isn’t the case. In fact, it’s very rarely used in Indian cooking.
You might be disappointed if you were looking for a traditional Indian dish but I assure you that you will love it regardless. The curry flavour is delicious and combined with that perfect barbecue char makes for an ideal summer dish.
Give it a try!
Preparing Curry Chicken Skewers in Yogurt Marinade
Ingredients
Fresh Ingredients
Chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are considered the white meat of a chicken. They are thick and tender when cooked just right. When overcooked, however, they become dry and tough to eat.
Yogurt: Greek yogurt is yogurt that has had the whey and other liquids strained from it. It’s thicker and creamier than other types of yogurt.
Lemon: Lemons are a citrus fruit loaded with vitamin C. These somewhat oval, yellow fruit are packed with flavour. They are sour and sometimes tart and add freshness to recipes. For this recipe we are using the juice of a lemon.
Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro is also known as coriander. They are in fact the same however the naming conventions vary between the Americas and other parts of the world. In America, cilantro often references the plant’s fresh stem and leaf while coriander refers to the plant’s dried seeds. You will note that this is how I use these two terms. Other parts of the world refer to this plant as coriander and to its dried version as coriander seeds.
Spices
Garlic powder: Garlic powder is dehydrated garlic ground to a powder. It’s sweeter than raw garlic so it just adds a hint of garlic flavour without the sharpness.
Ground Coriander: See the description of cilantro below. Ground coriander in this recipe is referring to the dried seed of the plant that has been ground to a powder.
Curry powder: Curry powder is a mix of spices that create a potent and earthy flavour which takes on a deep yellow colour. Typically the spices used include turmeric, cumin, ginger, cardamom and coriander.
Pre-made
Raita: Raita is a yogurt-based Indian salad or dip. There are many variations of this dip in both Indian cuisines as well as across other cultures. Typically, it is some combination of plain yogurt, cucumbers and spices. Try our version for a fresh and tangy take on this dip.
How to Make Curry Chicken Yogurt Marinade
Start by making the marinade. Juice half of a lemon and combine all of the ingredients in a measuring cup or small bowl.
Next prep the chicken. Instead of cubes, I like to cut the chicken lengthwise into slices
about half an inch thick.Coat all the chicken pieces fully with the marinade, seal/cover, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
The yogurt helps to tenderize the meat but you don’t want to marinate for longer than 24 hours as the acid will start to break down the meat. I often make the marinade around lunchtime and keep the chicken in the fridge marinating until I am ready to grill.
NOTE: If you don’t have time to marinate the chicken you can cook it right away. The chicken might be a bit more dry.
How to Grill Chicken Skewers
If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 15 minutes before grilling. If you soak them for too long they’ll become brittle making it hard to skewer the chicken.
When you’re ready to grill, turn on the barbecue to heat up on medium-high heat.
Take the chicken out of the fridge and put it on skewers. There is no need to remove the marinade from the chicken, there isn’t much excess with this recipe.
Fold the chicken back and forth like an accordion and skewer through the center. Folding it will prevent the chicken from drying out.
Once the barbecue is hot, place the skewered chicken on the grill and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. I cooked it on high heat. Mine took about 8 minutes per side.
Remove from the grill and serve hot with raita dip. Squeeze a little lemon over the top for even more freshness and zest.
Substitutions
Chicken Breast: You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. I would also cut them into strips lengthwise but cut them about an inch wide since the thighs are thinner. You will need 4-5 chicken thighs.
Serving Yogurt Marinaded Curry Chicken Skewers
Serve these skewers as an appetizer, for lunch in a wrap or as a main dish with rice. Either way, you want to serve these curry chicken skewers topped with fresh cilantro with raita as a dip or spread. The dip adds the perfect balance to the curry flavour.
If the raita is a bit too spicy for you, it has a tang from the mustard powder, try using tzatziki as a dip instead. If serving as an appetizer serve multiple dipping options for your guests to choose what they prefer.
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Easy Curry Chicken Skewers in Yogurt Marinade
Equipment
- 5-6 Skewers
- small bowl
- Juicer (optional)
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast
Marinade:
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Serving:
- Fresh Cilantro
- Raita
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Start by making the marinade. Juice half of a lemon and combine all of the ingredients in a measuring cup.½ cup plain yogurt, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 ½ tsp curry powder, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Next prep the chicken. Instead of cubes, I like to cut the chicken lengthwise into slices about half an inch thick.2 chicken breast
- Combine the chicken and marinade in a sealable container and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- 15 minutes before grilling, put the wooden skewers in water to soak.
- When you’re ready to grill, turn on the barbecue to heat up on high.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge and put it on skewers. Fold the chicken back and forth while you skewer like an accordion. This will prevent it from drying out.
- Once the barbecue is hot, place the skewered chicken on the grill and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Mine took about 8 minutes per side.
- Remove from the grill and serve hot topped with fresh cilantro with raita dip and lemon wedges on the side.Fresh Cilantro, Lemon wedges, Raita
