Oven-Baked Chicken Kebab

Kebabs don’t always need a grill. With chicken mince, a handful of spices, and your oven, you can bring the same juicy, spiced flavors to the table in a simpler way. These oven-baked chicken kebabs are easy to shape on skewers, bake beautifully golden, and come out tender and full of flavor.

I like to prepare the skewers and let them rest in the fridge for a short while before baking. It helps the mixture firm up and hold its shape better on the skewer. From there, the oven does the work, giving you kebabs that are just as inviting as the grilled version.

You can serve them however you like. Wrapped in flatbread, with rice or bulgur on the side, or simply with a fresh salad and yogurt.

Golden oven-baked chicken kebabs on skewers served over tortillas.

Ingredients

Makes 2 skewers:

• 300 g chicken mince

• 1 small onion, finely grated

• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lightly oil it.

In a bowl, combine chicken mince, grated onion, breadcrumbs, cumin, oregano, thyme, paprika, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands until sticky.

Lightly oil your metal skewer. Shape the mixture evenly around the skewer, pressing firmly so it holds its shape. You will get 2 long kebabs.

Place the prepared skewers in the fridge for about 15 minutes. This step helps the kebabs firm up before baking.

Arrange the skewers on the tray and bake for 20 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.

Serve hot. You can keep the kebabs on the skewers for presentation, then slide them off to eat.