This week has certainly been unpredictable in terms of the weather – we’ve had sun, rain, hail stones with ice cold temperatures and I don’t think it’s about to get better anytime soon. The one thing you CAN be certain of this week is that Afelia’s Chicken Kebabs will delight you, if you do decide to make them! They’re super simple to throw together and pack a punch in terms of taste, you’ll most certainly be licking your fingers (and your plate if you’re shameless like me, lol) once you’re done eating these little beauties.

Chicken mince is readily available at halal butchers during Ramadan (the holy month of fasting for Muslims) as it’s common for people to make all sorts of mouthwatering dishes to feast upon at iftar time (when Muslims break their fast), you may ask your butcher to prepare some for you if this isn’t the case. These kebabs are not only good during Ramadan, they’re great for making ahead of time when you’re entertaining or having guests over for a dawat (formal dinner invitation) or barbecue, they make great appetisers but can also be served as part of the main meal or after for snacking on.

As already mentioned, Afelia’s Chicken Kebabs are perfect for summer lunch if you’re planning a BBQ – the best way to ensure they retain their shape whilst cooking is to make the kebabs beforehand and freeze them, then cook straight from frozen over the barbecue and impress your family and friends. Serve in pitta breads with yoghurt/mint sauce and salad for a light but healthy and nutritious meal, you’ll be making big batches of this recipe once you realise how dead simple it is!

Bangladeshi people will usually shape their kebabs as small flat round patties, known as ‘shami kebabs’ but you can shape these kebabs in any shape you like, I use this same mixture to make Kebab Pops for which I will upload a separate album soon hopefully. In order to get the best formed kebabs (that don’t fall apart), it’s important to use a food processor or blender to process the onions, coriander and green chillies till fine, I use exactly the same method for my lamb kebabs. This ensures your kebabs have no ‘bits’ that are going to stick to the pan and burn, and no loss of shape. The breadcrumbs added to this recipe ensure any excess moisture from the onions, coriander etc. is absorbed and prevents the kebabs falling apart.

Unlike lamb mince, chicken mince has a tendency to need more TLC and because it has less fat than lamb, it naturally means less flavour, but that’s not a problem if you add all the right ingredients. I like to experiment with the ingredients I add to my recipes and always change and adapt them depending on what I have to hand at home, this was what I came up with when I devised this recipe back in 2015 – it became an instant hit with my family and some of my school friends who sampled the recipe and gave it the thumbs up, I’m hoping you guys will do the same!

Makes approximately 40 kebabs

You will need: for Afelia’s Chicken Kebabs

1.5kg chicken mince
2 medium onions
1/2 a bunch of coriander
6 – 7 green chillies (use double this amount if you want actual heat in your kebabs)
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp English mustard
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
1.5 tbsp salt
2 tbsp oil + extra oil for shaping kebabs

Method:

If you don’t have fresh breadcrumbs to hand it is very simple to make; simply blitz 2 slices of bread in a food processor till fine, use as needed.

Start by peeling 2 medium onions and cutting them into quarters.

Wash and roughly chop 1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander, this makes it easier to process in the food processor.

Remove the stems from 6 – 7 green chillies.

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor (or blender) and blitz until all the ingredients resemble a smooth paste. Don’t add any water during this process.

Scrape down the sides using a spatula and keep blitzing until smooth.

In a large bowl add the 1.5kg of chicken mince, along with the now blitzed ingredients….

….1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp of garlic, 1 tbsp cumin powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp of English mustard….

….2 tbsp of Worcester sauce, 1.5 tbsp of salt and 2 tbsp of oil.

Mix everything by hand and ensure the ingredients are thoroughly dispersed throughout the mixture.

The kebab mixture is now ready to be used/rolled into your desired shape.

Before you start to roll the kebabs it is a good idea to pour some oil into a shallow dish or saucer. Use this to coat your hands before handling the kebabs, this will make it easier to shape them and stop the mixture sticking to your hands.

Take a handful of the chicken mixture and roll into a round shape and then flatten it (bottom left photo).

I like to place my kebabs on flexible chopping boards as I go so that I can place them into the freezer after shaping. The flexible chopping boards make releasing the kebabs once frozen, much easier. If you want to cook them on the same day, chilling them is important to avoid food poisoning, make sure you don’t leave the kebabs out!

Once all your kebabs are shaped, freeze or chill them.

To cook the kebabs and achieve the look I have, use a griddle pan with ridges, alternatively use a frying pan if you don’t have a pan like this.

Thoroughly heat up the pan, lightly drizzle with oil and brush the oil over the ridges to ensure the kebabs don’t stick once they are placed on the hot pan.

It’s always a good idea to test for seasoning by making a mini kebab before you cook all the kebabs.

Cook for 3 – 4 minutes either side over a medium to high flame, ensuring the kebabs are cooked all the way through to the centre.

Only add oil if you need to by brushing the kebabs directly, this will ensure you use minimum oil.

These kebabs make a perfect starter to a dawat (formal invitation), barbecue or iftar. Serve these kebabs hot with sides of salad, rice or cous cous and some sauce, wait for the compliments to roll in at mealtime. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

If you like the recipe please share with friends and family, also follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Questions? Leave a comment below or message me on Facebook.