Add oomph to chicken kebabs with yogurt, Indian spices and chillies. This smoky, flavour-packed tandoori shawarma can be cooked on the barbecue or in the oven
Prep:20 mins
Serves 6
2 lemons, 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges to serve150g pot natural yogurt4 garlic clovesthumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped1-2 green chillies (depending on how hot you like it)small pack of fresh coriander½ tsp turmeric1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp garam masala16 skinless, boneless chicken thighs1 large baking potato, cut in half lengthways6 shop-bought naan bread
STEP 1Tip all the ingredients, except the chicken and lemon wedges, into a blender or a smoothie bullet with 1 tsp sea salt and whizz to a smooth paste. Pile the chicken into a bowl or large plastic container, pour over the paste and mix through so the chicken is completely coated. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hrs or up to 48 hrs – the longer, the better.STEP 2Cooking on the barbecue:
Light a lidded barbecue, and let the flames die down. Once the coals have turned ashen, pile them up on one side with a few coals scattered around the other. Starting and ending with half a baking potato, thread all the chicken onto two long metal skewers – so that both skewers go through each piece of meat – packing the thighs down between the potato halves so that they are really compact. Place the large chicken kebab to the side of the barbecue with only a few coals underneath. Pop the lid down and cook for 45-50 mins, turning every 15 mins, or until cooked through – prise the chicken pieces apart in the centre to check, or use a digital cooking thermometer; it should read 70C or more. Leave to rest for 5 mins.STEP 3Cooking in the oven:
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Sit the kebab across a roasting tin so it is suspended, or rest a wire rack over a roasting tin and place the chicken on top. Cook for 45-55 mins or until cooked through.STEP 4Warm the naan on the barbecue or in the oven. Bring the kebab to the table to carve, wrap with warm naans, and serve with the other salads and lemon wedges for squeezing over.
