Smoky chicken skewers

Method4 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Have fifteen small skewers ready. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for ten minutes. Cut all six raw boneless, skinless chicken thighs into three-centimetre pieces and put them in a bowl. Wash hands and clean utensils after handling raw chicken.

   Uses 6 raw boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 500 g total) · Water to cover wooden skewers for soaking, as needed

2. 2

   Step 2: If making the optional aïoli, first use clean utensils and a separate clean bowl to mix all eight tablespoons prepared mayonnaise with its two crushed garlic cloves, one teaspoon paprika and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate this clean dip away from raw chicken. Crush the fennel seeds (1 tsp) and the separate single marinade garlic clove (1). Toss the raw chicken with only one tablespoon olive oil, all the crushed fennel, ground cumin (1 tsp), sweet smoked paprika (1 tsp), marinade garlic and red wine vinegar (1 tsp). Season the coated chicken with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook now, or cover and refrigerate the raw marinated chicken for up to one day.

   Uses All prepared raw thigh pieces · 1 tbsp olive oil for marinade · 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed · 1 tsp ground cumin · 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika · 1 garlic clove for the chicken marinade, peeled and crushed · 1 tsp red wine vinegar · Salt for the chicken marinade, to taste

3. 3

   Step 3: Thread two to three marinated chicken pieces onto each of the fifteen skewers. Heat a frying or griddle pan with the remaining one tablespoon olive oil. Keep the clean aïoli refrigerated while handling the raw skewers.

   Uses All coated raw chicken pieces · Remaining 1 tbsp olive oil for pan

4. 4

   Step 4: Sear the skewers for three to four minutes on each side, working in batches if necessary, until browned and the chicken is fully cooked through at 74 °C /165 °F. Keep each cooked batch warm in a low oven while cooking the rest. Discard any spent raw-chicken marinade and use clean serving utensils. Serve the fifteen small skewers as six to eight starter portions with the optional clean aïoli.

   Sear chicken 3–4 minutes on each side · 8 minUses All fifteen raw skewers and the prepared pan · The separately prepared optional aïoli, if made