Iraqi Chicken Kebab
Minced chicken breast and lamb-tail fat with squeezed onion, flour and coriander, cooked on suitable skewers.
30 min hands-on + 30 min chilling · Total: 1 hr · 2 servings
Ingredients
- small onion, grated with excess juice squeezed out — 1
- 300 g raw minced boneless skinless chicken breast
- 50 g raw finely minced lamb-tail fat (leya)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose wheat flour
- 0.5 tsp ground coriander seed
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- drinking water only to dampen clean fingers, preparation aid
Instructions
Prepare safely
Start with 300 g chicken and 50 g leya chilled at ≤4°C, using separate clean tools from ready-to-eat foods. Do not wash raw poultry in the sink.
Do not wash raw poultry in the sink.
Prepare safely
Grate the 1 small onion and squeeze out excess juice. Combine the prepared onion with chicken and leya; do not add onion juice as extra batter liquid.
Combine the prepared onion with chicken and leya; do not add onion juice as extra batter liquid.
Mix the base
Add 1 tbsp flour, 0.5 tsp coriander, salt and pepper. No yogurt, lemon, sumac, garlic or extra oil is listed.
No yogurt, lemon, sumac, garlic or extra oil is listed.
Mix the base
Mix with clean hands from about 5 minutes until cohesive, starting cold. Do not taste raw meat/flour or assume a cold feel proves temperature control; refrigerate waiting mixture at ≤4°C.
Do not taste raw meat/flour or assume a cold feel proves temperature control; refrigerate waiting mixture at ≤4°C.
Mix the base: 300 seconds
Refrigerate and wait
Cover and refrigerate at ≤4°C for about 30 minutes to firm the mixture. Keep it cold between shaping batches.
Keep it cold between shaping batches.
Refrigerate and wait: 1800 seconds
Shape evenly
Divide into manageable similar portions and press onto clean wide flat metal skewers with lightly dampened clean fingers. Shape an even thickness without forcing a fixed link count.
Shape an even thickness without forcing a fixed link count.
Heat gently
Prepare charcoal outdoors only, away from openings, or use a manufacturer-approved indoor griddle over suitable medium-high heat. Do not overheat empty nonstick cookware or scrape incompatible coatings with metal skewers.
Do not overheat empty nonstick cookware or scrape incompatible coatings with metal skewers.
Grill and check
Place skewers over the prepared heat without crowding. Begin first-side checks at 4 minutes, usually around 4–5 minutes, without treating char as proof of doneness.
Begin first-side checks at 4 minutes, usually around 4–5 minutes, without treating char as proof of doneness.
Grill and check: 240 seconds
Grill and check
Turn carefully and begin second-side checks around 4 minutes, continuing until cooked through. Do not refrigerate or freeze partly cooked kebabs for later finishing.
Do not refrigerate or freeze partly cooked kebabs for later finishing.
Grill and check: 240 seconds
Check doneness
Use a thermometer in several thick meat centres away from the metal skewer: all must reach 74°C. Fixed times and browned surfaces are not sufficient; remove from hot metal using clean tools without burning hands.
Fixed times and browned surfaces are not sufficient; remove from hot metal using clean tools without burning hands.
Measure the ingredients
Half uses 150 g chicken, 25 g leya and 0.25 tsp coriander. For 8 servings use 1200 g chicken, 200 g leya, 4 onions, 4 tbsp flour and 2 tsp coriander; process small cold batches.
For 8 servings use 1200 g chicken, 200 g leya, 4 onions, 4 tbsp flour and 2 tsp coriander; process small cold batches.
Serve and store
Serve 2 portions promptly. Refrigerate shallow leftovers within 1 hour at ≤4°C, use within 24 hours and reheat at most once to 74°C throughout.
Refrigerate shallow leftovers within 1 hour at ≤4°C, use within 24 hours and reheat at most once to 74°C throughout.
Tips
- Instructions describe the base 2-serving batch. Controls scale the ingredient list to 1 or 8 servings, exactly half or fourfold. One cup is 240 ml, one tbsp 15 ml, one tsp 5 ml; dry volumes are not gram weights. Use equivalent vessels and manageable batches; timers are first checks, not linear cooking rules.
Common mistakes
- Do not add unlisted fat, liquid or garnishes or rely on a fixed time or browned surface alone.
Substitutions
- Keep the stated source states and explicit alternatives; check product instructions and allergens.
Storage
Refrigerate promptly in shallow portions within 1 hour at ≤4°C; use within 24 hours from preparation, including cooling. This is a conservative household limit, not a validated shelf life.
Reheating
Reheat leftovers at most once to 74°C throughout and serve promptly; keep unused portions refrigerated.
About this recipe
Minced chicken breast and lamb-tail fat with squeezed onion, flour and coriander, cooked on suitable skewers.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.