At one of our dinner parties last year, my gorgeous friend Annie brought me a cute little cotton pouch filled with smoked, sweet, Hungarian paprika. Although I regularly use paprika in my cooking – both sweet and smoked varieties -, this had a more vibrant shade of terracotta red and an intensely aromatic scent. As soon as I got the fragrant spice into my kitchen, the recipe for these smoked paprika chicken skewers were born! Deep and dark with a subtle fiery kick, the paprika adds a sweet and smokey depth without overpowering the chicken, giving it a beautifully balanced flavor.

I start by marinating the chicken cubes in a blend of full-fat yogurt, cream, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and eggs. The lactic acid in the cream and milk, and the protein and fat in the eggs all play important roles in tenderizing the chicken . Marinate the chicken or overnight for best results, or for a minimum of two hours if you’re short on time. I typically use my oven rotisserie for this recipe. If you don’t have a rotisserie function in your oven, make it on the stove with a grill or frying pan, or fire up your barbecue – all will yield succulent results!

Serve the skewers on pita or Arabic bread to catch any luscious juices that seep out of the chicken. You can even wrap the bread around the chicken to help pull it off the skewer.

If you can’t find smoked Hungarian paprika, substitute with Spanish smoked paprika which won’t be as sweet. You can also use regular sweet paprika. You won’t get that intense smokiness, but you’ll still get great color and flavor!

Smoked Paprika Chicken Skewers -serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 2 kg chicken, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup full-fat yogurt
• 1 cup cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• a pinch of dried thyme or dried oregano
• extra olive oil or a neutral flavored oil for cooking in a pan (only if using stovetop method)
• Metal skewers OR wooden skewers soaked in water if using stovetop or BBQ method

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken cubes in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper. and add the olive oil to coat the chicken.
2. Add the crushed garlic and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, cream, egg, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and dried thyme or oregano..
4. Mix the ingredients until the chicken cubes are well-coated. Marinate for at least two hours or overnight for the best results.

Rotisserie Method:

1. Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto the metal skewers and place them into the skewering holes of the oven rotisserie.
2. Place a pan filled up halfway with water on the rack on lower third of your oven. Make sure the pan is big enough to catch any liquid that is released from the chicken during the cooking process. If you avoid this step, you might be left with a smokey mess in your oven!
3. Turn the rotisserie on and set the oven temperature to 210 degrees celsius (410 degrees fahrenheit).
4. Roast the chicken skewers for 45 to 50 minutes, ensuring that they are evenly distributed on the skewers to cook through evenly. If not, it can halt the rotisserie function from rotating and the chicken will take longer to cook, which may dry it out slightly.

Stovetop Method:

1. Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto metal skewers or pre-soaked wooden skewers.
2. Heat a frying pan or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of canola or olive oil.
3. Place the skewers on the hot pan in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan or the chicken will steam and release too much liquid to brown.
4. Cook the skewers, undisturbed, until the chicken becomes golden and is cooked through.

Barbecue Method:

1. Fire up the barbecue
2. Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto metal skewers or pre-soaked wooden skewers.
3. Cook over the hot grill, carefully turning occasionally until the chicken is golden brown with slightly charred edges and is cooked through.

Serve the smoked paprika chicken skewers hot and enjoy!

Bon appétit!

Find more delicious chicken recipes here