So, how’s your summer coming along? This crazy hot weather is painful, but still I am enjoying the sunshine days to the fullest with outdoor activities, barbecues, and summer drinks. The best thing about summer is being able to cook outside on your grill, having friends and family at your place, late nights parties, hearty conversations, laughter n joy… enjoying every moment to it’s best, till it lasts before fall arrives. Isn’t that just awesome?
Talking about grill parties, my first choice to cook would be definitely kebabs. They not only look and sound fancy but are one among my favorite dishes of the summer. Remind me of Chicken kebab… I’ll die for it! And this summer since my mint and cilantro plants from my vegetable garden have flourished and grown abundantly, I’ve decided to try my hands on a Green Chicken Kebab, fresh and organic as it can get.

Hariyali Chicken Kebab / Green Chicken Kebab is a famous North Indian delicacy which is gaining popularity all around the world. The dish is juicy and delicious, and you can actually taste mint and cilantro in it. The ease of preparation with minimal ingredients is it’s highlight, quite different from the usual Indian recipes. Of course, the key to a perfect juicy chicken is the right cooking temperature but sometimes the pre-preparations do matter in making your chicken delicious.

This recipe follows a two phase marination process, I know that sounds a lot but trust me it’s worth it. The first marinade is a simple lemon n pepper rub which allows the meat to breakdown, retain its moisture, and infuse the flavours into the chicken. This also helps the second marinade to be absorbed better along with its yogurt-oil base which results in a juicy dish. Coming to the duration of the marination, the longer the better, and if time permits I would recommend overnight. Follow the preparation as is, and you can stop worrying about all your common kebab nightmares.

Bonus: Did you know that you could use your kebab leftovers to make a delicious dinner? Refrigerate and later serve your kebab bites (shredded) as a filling in your roti / naan / tortilla rolls along with shredded cabbage drizzled with lemon juice, fresh tomatoes & cucumbers… a perfect and easy weeknight dinner!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Green Chicken Kebab/Hariyali Chicken Kebab

Juicy n Tender Chicken Kebab flavored with Cilantro and Mint… a Mouth-Watering Appetizer for your Summer Grill Party…!! 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kebab

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 cup cilantro leaves (+ extra for garnish)
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 3-4 green chilies
• 1 tbsp pepper
• ½ of a lemon squeezed
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp oil (plus extra)
• ½ cup yogurt (check notes)
• salt (as required)
• skewers
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• Clean and slice the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Marinate with lemon juice, salt and pepper for 30 mins.
• In the meantime, prepare green paste by grinding cilantro leaves, mint leaves and green chilies to a fine paste.
• Pour it to a large bowl, add garam masala, ginger garlic paste and yogurt. Mix well and check seasoning.
• To the lemon marinated chicken, add the green paste and mix well. Allow the chicken to be marinated in it for 3-4 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator. If refrigerating, remove the chicken from the refrigerator an hour prior to grilling so as to bring it to room temperature.

Oven method

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
• If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 mins before grilling. Remove the wooden skewers from water and wipe it with a kitchen cloth.
• Apply some oil to the skewers which helps to slide the chicken easily after cooking. Shake excess marinade from the chicken and thread it into the skewers without crowding it. Baste with some oil using a brush and cook the chicken for 10 minutes by placing them in the middle of the oven rack. Halfway through the cook, flip the chicken and brush with some oil and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes until you see charred sides on the chicken. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165-degree F.
• Serve along with shredded cabbage drizzled in lemon and garnish with cilantro leaves. Squeeze lime juice before serving.

Pan Method

• You can pan fry the chicken by adding a little oil and cooking it on a medium flame for 10-15 mins until the chicken is fully cooked and lightly charred on the edges.

Notes

1. Adjust green chilies according to your spice level. You can also substitute green chilies with jalapenos.

2. You can substitute plain yogurt with greek yogurt.

The post Green Chicken Kebab / Hariyali Chicken Kebab appeared first on Pepper Delight.

When it comes to Indian food it’s all about the balance of spices, not just one or two… but many. It might be overwhelming for beginners, but as you get exposed to the flavours and the cooking, it becomes an art within. The use of different spices together to prepare that aromatic “masala” is the key. And giving it enough time to infuse into your core ingredients of your meal means, something delicious is on its way. Indian food offers tons of exquisite dishes with these masala, and with just a spoonful in your mouth you would realize how perfectly balanced the spices are.

Kebabs are a very common appetizer in the northern parts of India, especially those made with paneer. Paneer, fresh unsalted cheese or also known as cottage cheese, doesn’t require any ageing or culturing, will not melt, and makes it ideal for soups, appetizers, and creamy curries. Paneer in a spicy masala; they just complement each other so well that I thought it’s time to bring in such a dish for my next appetizer recipe. An alternate to paneer if not readily available is tofu (made from soya milk) which is low in calories and a healthier option.

The marination of the Kebab is the one important step for this recipe as it needs time to infuse the marinade into the kebabs. So make sure you marinate for at least 3-4 hours prior to cooking.

Enjoy!

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Paneer Kebab with Cilantro Mint Chutney

Easy, Tender, Delicious…!! Veggie Kebabs made with Cottage Cheese (Paneer), Bell Peppers and Onions… Marinated in Indian spices, and Served with a classic Cilantro Mint Chutney…!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Indian

Keyword indian, kebab, paneer, skewers

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 14 oz. fresh paneer (cubed)
• 1 red and green bell pepper (cubed)
• 1 big onion (cubed)
• Wooden skewers (soaked in water for 30 mins)
• Oil (as required)

For the marinade

• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp dried kasuri methi / fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch of turmeric powder
• 3-4 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Lemon slices (garnish)
• Cilantro leaves (garnish)

For Mint Cilantro Chutney

• 1 handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 handful of mint leaves
• Juice of half lime
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 small onion/1 tbsp chopped onion
• 1 garlic
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients of the marinade to make a smooth paste.
• Add the paneer, bell peppers and onions to the bowl and mix well. Allow it to marinate for 3-4 hrs. In the meantime, soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 mins.
• Remove the wooden skewers from water and wipe it with a kitchen cloth. Apply some oil on to it using a brush.
• Thread paneer into the skewers alternating with bell peppers and onions. Make sure not to crowd it. Brush oil generously on the paneer and the veggies to prevent it from drying out during the cook.

Oven Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and grease it.
• Stack the skewers on the tray leaving some space between them.
• Bake for 35 -40 mins. Halfway through the cook, flip the skewers, and brush with oil. Cook until the veggies start to shrink and paneer turns lightly charred. Do not overcook the paneer as it will turn rubbery. Serve immediately.

Pan Method

• Add oil to a pan and heat on a medium high flame.
• Place the skewers on the pan and cook for about 8 – 10 mins. Halfway through the cook, flip the skewers, and brush with oil. Cook until the veggies start to shrink and paneer turns lightly charred. Do not overcook the paneer as it will turn rubbery. Serve immediately. 

For Mint Cilantro Chutney

• Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt as needed.
• Garnish with lemon slices and cilantro leaves. Serve hot with the chutney.

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