Chicken shish kebabs with roasted vegetables

Ingredients

For the kebabs

• 560g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 x 4cm pieces, excess fat removed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp Turkish or Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp pul biber

For the roasted vegetables

• 130g sivri biber, halved lengthways and cut into chunks, or padron peppers, kept whole
• 2 medium red onions, cut into six wedges lengthways
• 3 medium tomatoes, quartered lengthways
• 4 tbsp olive oil

For the cacik

• 400g Turkish or Greek yoghurt
• 145g cucumber, diced
• 1 tsp dried mint

Method

Put the chicken in a large bowl, add the olive oil, yoghurt, dried oregano and pul biber, season generously with salt and black pepper, then use your hands to combine. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins (or longer, even overnight, if you can).

Heat the oven to 220C. Place the vegetables on a large baking tray, drizzle over the olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, then use your hands to combine, spreading the vegetables evenly over the tray in a single layer, so they crisp up around the edges.

Line a separate large baking tray with baking parchment. Thread the chicken onto skewers, leaving 1cm between pieces, so that they cook evenly and are able to char. Place the skewers on the tray, spacing them 3cm apart.

Place the trays in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins, until both the chicken and the vegetables are fully cooked and beginning to char around the edges. Take the roasted vegetables out of the oven and cover with foil to keep warm.

Heat the grill to high. Turn the chicken skewers over so the undersides are now at the top and grill for 2-3 mins until nicely charred. Once ready, take out of the oven and roll the skewers up in the baking parchment so they keep warm and moist.

While the chicken and vegetables are cooking, make the cacik. Put the yoghurt and cucumber in a bowl, stir in the dried mint, season with salt, then set aside.

Serve the shish kebabs with the roasted vegetables and cacik side by side on the same plate.

Image: Sam Harris

Recipe from Istanbul by Özlem Warren (Quadrille)