Grilled Chicken Kafta Recipe
This Grilled Chicken Kafta recipe features flavorful Middle Eastern-spiced ground chicken patties, grilled to perfection on skewers. Made with fresh herbs, spices, and a hint of garlic, these kaftas are served alongside traditional accompaniments like fattoush salad and olives, making for a delicious and hearty meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 kaftas 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 slices of whole wheat bread or 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 ½ lb ground chicken
- 1 small onion (grated, about ½ cup)
- 1–2 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (mild/sweet pepper flakes, plus more for later if desired)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp Kosher salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp ground pepper (or to taste)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for greasing the grill)
For Serving
- Pitted kalamata olives
- Fattoush salad or Middle Eastern salad
- Rice
Instructions
- Soak the bread: Place the whole wheat bread slices into a shallow dish and cover them with water. Allow the bread to sit for a couple of minutes until softened, then take them out and squeeze out all the excess liquid. Place the squeezed bread into a large mixing bowl.
- Combine ingredients: Add the ground chicken, grated onion, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley and mint, Aleppo pepper, ground coriander, sweet paprika, salt, pepper, and the egg to the bowl with the soaked bread. Mix everything thoroughly until fully combined, ensuring the spices and herbs are evenly distributed.
- Shape the kafta: Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking and take a spoonful of the mixture. Shape it into an oval patty, then carefully insert a bamboo skewer through the center and gently mold the mixture around it to form a log shape. Repeat this process with all the mixture until finished.
- Chill before cooking: Place the shaped kaftas in the refrigerator and chill them until you are ready to grill. This helps them firm up and hold their shape during cooking.
- Preheat the grill: Heat a gas grill or a grill pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the grill surface with olive oil to prevent the kaftas from sticking during grilling.
- Grill the kaftas: Place the skewered chicken kaftas onto the hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Grill until they are nicely charred on the outside and cooked through internally to a safe temperature.
- Serve and enjoy: Remove the kaftas from the grill and serve them immediately with pitted kalamata olives, fattoush salad or a Middle Eastern salad, and your choice of rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Soaking the bread ensures the kafta mixture stays moist and binds well.
- Using fresh herbs like parsley and mint gives an authentic bright flavor typical of Middle Eastern cuisine.
- Adjust the Aleppo pepper quantity to suit your preferred spice level.
- If bamboo skewers are unavailable, metal skewers or grilling without skewers in patty form is an option, but skewers help maintain shape.
- Kafta can also be cooked indoors on a grill pan if an outdoor grill is not available.
- Check internal temperature of chicken kafta to ensure it reaches 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
Keywords: Grilled Chicken Kafta, Middle Eastern Chicken Skewers, Chicken Kafta Recipe, Healthy Grilled Kafta
Find it online: https://kochenmitviktoria.com/grilled-chicken-kafta-recipe/
