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4.8 from 231 votes

Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Crazy Good Green Sauce

From ingredients to enjoyment, this recipe makes it easy to create something wonderful.

Prep Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course

Ingredients

Chicken:
  • Zest of 1 lemon 1-2 teaspoons
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice from about 2-3 lemons
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 to 4 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or ginger paste (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt I use coarse, kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1 /2 to 2 /2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
Green Sauce:
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro lightly packed to measure
  • ½ cup fresh mint
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions or chives
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Zest of 1 lemon 1-2 teaspoons
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Pinch of coarse kosher salt
  • ½ Jalapeño seeded and coarsely chopped (leave seeds in for more heat)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the chicken, in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, salt, coriander, and pepper. Place the chicken pieces in a shallow dish (preferably with a lid), pour the marinade over and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours (if marinading longer than that, the lemon juice might "cook" and toughen the meat).
  2. For the sauce, in a blender or food processor add all the ingredients and puree until desired consistency. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed.
  3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grates with oil (I don't usually do this on my pellet grill, but I recommend doing so if chicken is prone to sticking on your grill). Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden or metal skewers.
  4. Grill for 6-8 minutes, turning once or twice, until cooked through. Serve the chicken skewers with the sauce.

Notes

  • Ginger: ginger paste is easily and widely found in grocery store produce sections near the fresh herbs/salads. However, keeping fresh ginger on hand is easy...cut fresh ginger into 1-inch pieces and store in the freezer. When ready to use, it can be grated on a box grater straight from the freezer (no need to peel!).
  • Lemons: remember to zest your lemons before juicing! You'll probably need about four lemons total for this recipe.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Serving Calories 487kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Cholesterol 113mg (38%) Sodium 498mg (21%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 Serving
Calories 487kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 29g 58%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 113mg 38%
Sodium 498mg 21%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.