Harissa Chicken Skewers

For me personally, cooking is a love language and this recipe was one that I made on the spot for one of my best friends Aarti who loves chicken skewers or any...

For me personally, cooking is a love language and this recipe was one that I made on the spot for one of my best friends Aarti who loves chicken skewers or any meal that has a kick to it! It turned out to be an amazing recipe and I have already had so many people remake the recipe and send me pictures on Instagram. For some background, harissa is a North African spice paste that is made from chili peppers, garlic, coriander and many other spices. It gives the marinate such a smoky and depth of flavor that takes this recipe to the next level. If you can, I recommend buying Harissa from small business or small grocery stores, but the easiest place I have found it close to me would be at Trader Joes. I have also seen it available on Amazon if you are unable to find a jar in person. The main component that makes this recipe work is the fact that the chicken is marinated. When it comes to marinating for any of my recipes, I highly recommend marinating overnight. I also know that marinating overnight is not realistic for many due to time constraints so for a minimum I recommend thirty minutes to an hour in the fridge. This is especially true because the yogurt in the marinate helps make the chicken tender and cook better. Another tip I have is to soak the skewers for 30 minutes to an hour if you have time. Typically, when you do not soak the skewers in water the ends burn while baking and that taste can sometimes carry into the chicken. My favorite way to make these skewers is to marinate them on Sunday night and put my skewers to soak overnight as well and then all I have to do Monday night or afternoon is pop them onto the skewers and bake them. This makes them super easy to prepare for not just your meal prep but even if you are hosting a fun summer dinner party. Some items I love to pair with these skewers are a classic lemon-heavy caesar salad, airfryer potatoes (for which I have plenty of recipes for) or in a wrap with some hummus and vegetables. It is a fun way to mix up your classic chicken skewer and does not require you to stand over a barbeque for an hour so you can have an amazing meal without missing out on the fun. This recipe is light yet filling so you can have ample room for dessert! I hope you love this recipe as much as I do and my DMs are always open for any tips you may want/need…happy cooking!