Grilled Lemon Chicken Kebabs
Serves 4
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
juice 2 lemon, plus 2 level teaspoons grated lemon zest
6 thick slices lemon, cut into quarters
110 ml olive oil
2 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 level dessertspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
3 bay leaves, torn in half
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the gremolata:
2 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 heaped teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
You will also need wooden skewers, 10 inches (25.5 cm) long, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking.
# Begin by chopping each piece of chicken into 5 chunky pieces, leaving the skin on, and place them in a bowl, along with the lemon juice and zest, oil, garlic, oregano, white wine vinegar and plenty of seasoning. Cover and leave to marinate overnight or for a few hours or for as much time as you have.
# To cook the chicken, pre-heat the grill to its highest setting at least 10 minutes ahead, then first thread half a bay leaf on to the first skewer, followed by a quarter-slice of lemon, then a piece of chicken. Carry on alternating the lemon and chicken until you have used 5 pieces of chicken, finishing off with a lemon quarter and another bay leaf half at the end and making sure you pack everything together as tightly as possible. Repeat with the second skewer, then place them both on a grill rack, and underneath the rack place a heatproof dish to catch the juices. The kebabs should be 4 inches (10 cm) from the grill, and as they cook you need to baste them with the marinade juices. They will need 10 minutes on each side to cook through and become nice and dark and toasted at the edges.
# While they’re under the grill, mix the gremolata ingredients together and have it ready. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a serving plate and keep warm. Now put the rest of the marinade, plus the basting juices, in a saucepan and boil to reduce to a syrupy consistency, which will take about 2 minutes. Pour this over the chicken and sprinkle the gremolata all over as it goes to the table.