Air fryer Turkish chicken kebabs with orzo pilaf recipe

Marinate the chicken overnight for the most succulent results – Andrew Burton

Both the kebabs and the pilaf for this vibrant dish are made in the air fryer. For the best results, marinate the chicken pieces overnight – they’ll soak up all the gorgeous herbs and spices and will be super-tender.

Timings

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus marinating time

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves

4

Calories

489 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 600g skinless, boneless chicken thighs (trimmed of visible fat), cut into chunks
• 6 tbsp fat-free Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tsp dried mint
• ¾ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• olive oil spray

For the garlic sauce

• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp fat-free Greek yoghurt
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• lemon juice, to loosen the sauce
• 1½ tsp finely chopped fresh parsley

For the pilaf

• 15g butter
• 200g dried orzo
• 1 small onion, diced
• 360ml hot chicken stock
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

To serve

• lemon wedges
• chopped tomatoes
• chopped red onion
• chopped cucumber

Method

1. Place the chicken in a bowl with the yoghurt, spices, herbs, garlic and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until coated, then marinate for at least a couple of hours or overnight.
2. To make the garlic sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined, then set aside.
3. To make the pilaf, place a 20cm cake barrel in the air fryer basket and preheat to 200C for 2 minutes. Add the butter and heat until melted.
4. Add the orzo and onion and air fry for 2 minutes until the orzo is brown and toasted.
5. Add the stock, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, and air fry for 23-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the stock is completely absorbed and the orzo is cooked (don’t worry if it is still a little al dente). 
6. Remove the cake barrel, cover tightly with foil and set aside.
7. Thread the marinated chicken on to metal skewers. If you don’t have skewers, line the air fryer basket with non-stick baking paper or use the grill pan insert instead.
8. Spray the chicken with olive oil and air fry for 15 minutes, until cooked. Turn the kebabs halfway through cooking and spray again with olive oil.
9. Serve the chicken with the orzo pilaf and garlic sauce, lemon wedges, tomatoes, red onion and cucumber.

Recipe from Slimming Eats Made in the Air Fryer, by Siobhan Wightman (Yellow Kite, £20)

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