With a sidekick of jazzed-up gluten-free tabbouleh, these chicken kebabs are sure to become a go-to dinner favourite. Traditionally made with bulgur, millet is a healthy gluten-free alternative. The smoky, citrusy yogurt sauce puts these kebabs over the top, so to speak.
Best choice
Chicken thighs are more likely to remain juicy on the grill compared to breast meat, without an appreciable difference in fat calories.
Chicken Kebabs with Millet Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb (560 g) boneless, skinless organic chicken thighs
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil or camelina oil, divided
- Juice of 1 lemon, divided
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) millet
- 1 3/4 cups (435 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup (250 mL) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh mint
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried apricots, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup (250 mL) plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 tsp (4 mL) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories532
- protein40g
- fat22g
- saturated fat3g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates43g
- sugars10g
- fibre6g
- sodium485mg
Directions
01
Cut chicken into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces and place in container along with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) oil, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt, and pepper. Toss to combine, and chill for at least 1 hour.
02
To make tabbouleh, bring millet and vegetable broth to a boil in medium-sized saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until millet is tender, about 25 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes and then fluff with fork. Stir in cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, green onions, almonds, and apricots. Whisk together 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt, and garlic. Toss dressing with millet mixture.
03
Stir together yogurt, smoked paprika, and lemon zest, and refrigerate.
04
Preheat grill to medium-high and grease grill grate. Thread chicken onto 4 skewers. Grill kebabs for 6 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve chicken on top of millet tabbouleh and drizzle with yogurt dressing.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
