Easy Grilled Butter Chicken Kebabs

Photo from 
Bonappeteach

If you've been around here for a while, you already know my feelings about Butter Chicken—it's absolutely da BOMB. It has officially claimed the top spot as my favorite thing to order at an Indian restaurant. But with restaurant prices these days (seriously... have you seen them lately?), I'm trying to eat out less, which means it's time to recreate those favorites at home.

When I came across this recipe, I thought it was a fun twist on traditional Butter Chicken. Instead of simmering the chicken in the sauce, you grill it and serve the butter chicken sauce on the side for dipping. I loved the idea.

Well... that was the plan.

The Pantry Goat made an unexpected visit, and by dinnertime I just wasn't feeling ambitious enough to make the dipping sauce. The chicken had already been marinating, so I fired up the grill and called it good. Honestly? I don't think I missed it all that much. The marinade packed plenty of flavor on its own.

The seasoning was exactly what I was hoping for, with all those warm, familiar butter chicken spices. My only complaint wasn't about the flavor—it was the texture. I'm beginning to realize that Greek yogurt marinades aren't my favorite for grilling. Because they're so thick, they tend to cook onto the chicken with a slightly grainy texture that I'm just not crazy about.

Even so, the chicken turned out juicy, flavorful, and definitely worth making again. Next time I'll probably make the dipping sauce just to see how much it adds, but even without it, this recipe was a winner.

Easy Grilled Butter Chicken Kebabs

Recipe from Bonappeteach

Serves 4

• 2 lbs. Skinless/Boneless Chicken Thighs sub with chicken breast

Butter Chicken Marinade:

• 1 cup Labneh or Greek Yogurt
• 1 Lemon juiced
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest
• 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger minced
• 2 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala
• 1 tsp. Tumeric
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

Butter Chicken Sauce:

• 3 tbsp. Butter
• 1/2 small Yellow Onion grated or pureed
• 2 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh Ginger minced
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1/4 cup Tomato Puree
• 1/2 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk or heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. Labneh
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Salt

For The Marinade:

Trim the chicken thighs to remove any excess fat and dice into equal one-inch size pieces.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the labneh or yogurt, lemon juice, and tomato paste. Then add in the ginger, garlic, spices, salt, and black pepper and whisk again until combined. This should be a fairly thick mixture.

Fold in the diced chicken pieces until fully coated and place them in the refrigerator to marinade for a minimum of two hours or overnight.

For The Butter Chicken Sauce:

In a pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow it to fully melt. Add the grated onion, garlic, and ginger into the pan to cook with the butter for 1-2 minutes.

Add in the dried spices and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the spices are fragrant and aromatic.

Stir in the tomato paste and tomato sauce and continue to cook, reducing the temperature a bit if needed.

Slowly pour in the coconut milk and labneh and whisk everything together until fully combined. Keep stirring to prevent the sauce from burning and let it cook over low heat until thickened.

Remove from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly. You can brush this sauce onto the chicken at the end of the grilling process and serve with extra sauce on the side.

How To Grill Butter Chicken Kebabs:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (around 400 F) and set the grill for two-zone cooking (having a direct heat and indirect heat side of the grill).

Place the marinated grilled chicken onto the skewers and set them over a wire rack. Place the chicken skewers (leaving them on the rack) onto the indirect side of the grill to begin cooking (this helps the marinade bake onto the chicken and not burn).

Let the skewers cook like this for about 10-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of about 165 F. While this is cooking over indirect heat, you can prepare the sauce.

Once the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of about 165 F. (they are technically cooked) move them to the direct heat side of the grill to cook for 1-2 minutes per side, flipping often to caramelize and develop a nice smoky char.

Continue to do this until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 180-185 F. (This makes the texture of chicken thighs much more palatable. If using chicken breast only cook to 165 F.).

Brush with the prepared butter chicken sauce and serve with garnished cilantro and enjoy!