This chicken kofta is made with ground chicken flavored with parsley, onion, and great spices. It is healthy, exciting, and easy to prepare. It would be great with ground turkey too!
Remember I mentioned that I had a great recipe to go with the tahini sauce recipe? Well, look no further — here it is!
Sometimes I mix up my usual routine of buying ground turkey (every single time I go to the store) and I grab the ground chicken instead. Occasionally it is on sale, or I might just take it out of boredom. Mix up the ol’ routine.
Despite being a food blogger, I do get into dinner ruts. Ground chicken is great for a number of recipes (try southwestern mini meatloaves, air fryer egg rolls, or chicken lettuce wraps) and can be subbed in for ground turkey or even ground beef in many of your favorite recipes. Often, I’ll just throw it in spaghetti sauce or use it for tacos, instead of ground beef.
But the night I tried this recipe, I was in the mood to try something new.
I love recreating recipes from our favorite Lebanese carry-out place. Chicken tawook, tahini sauce, grilled chicken shawarma drumsticks, chicken kofta. This recipe doesn’t come out exactly like the chicken kofta at our usual carry-out place, but dare I say…it’s better? Ben definitely likes it better. I like them both but they are quite different so it’s hard to compare the two to each other.
Both versions are a combination of ground chicken with lots of great flavors. I use parsley, onions, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix this together in the same way you would do for meatballs or burgers. I like to use my hands so that I don’t overmix the meat mixture.
I’m pretty sure the version I order from the restaurant doesn’t include the combo of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, but I love what they bring to this recipe. I also love the freshness of the lemon and parsley in the restaurant version. Clearly I need to make Chicken Kofta Version 2.0 for my blog in the future.
After you get the meat combined with all the other ingredients, form it around wooden skewers. I recommend soaking the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they don’t start on fire.
Place the chicken kofta on a baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup and broil until they’re cooked through, turning once. It’s so easy.
You could also grill these, but the mixture is fairly loose and you might have some problems with it falling through the grates of the grill. I’d recommend broiling or maybe using a grill pan.
You can eat this straight off the kebabs or you can slide the meat off and use a fork and knife – whatever you prefer! Serve it with rice, tahini sauce, and a salad.
PS: Kofta vs. Kofte vs. Kafta – what’s your vote? I believe the spelling depends on if the recipe is Lebanese, Pakistani, Greek, or Indian? One thing I know is that I’ll eat it regardless of how it’s spelled or where it’s from!
More Middle Eastern Vibes
- Fattoush salad recipe (with video!)
- Broccoli tabbouleh bowl with lentils
- Tabbouleh salad with freekeh and feta
- Classic homemade hummus with toasted pine nuts
- Hummus without tahini (parsley flavored, sesame and nut-free)
- Red lentil soup (a family favorite)
Chicken Kofta
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken breast
- 1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to high with the oven rack positioned 5-6 inches from the heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together using your hands until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Wet hands and shape chicken mixture evenly around 5 to 6 skewers (if using wood, make sure to soak them in water for a couple hours first).
- Broil for 8-10 minutes, turning once, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Notes
- These are fragile and slightly difficult to form around the skewers, so they probably won’t work on the grill. The broiler adds that same great grilled flavor without the risk of your kofta falling through the grill grates.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!Photos updated 1/8/18 – see below for old photos!
I’m craving these…I’m loving the spices you used! I’ve been making the same old lately, looking for some new healthy stuff, thanks for sharing your “better!!” version . (Win!)
Just what I was looking for! I also appreciate the family review. By the way, no need for the disclaimer about the attractiveness of your kofta kabobs – they look delicious and have beautiful detail!
Oh man, middle-eastern is my favorite type of cuisine, and these kofta look amazing! : )
Made these last night, and Rachel, OMG, they are SO delicious!! Your recipe is spot on! I will be adding these to my favorite go-to dishes, thank you for such an awesome recipe!
I was so surprised when I scrolled down to the picture after reading the title of the recipe. I wasn’t expecting them to be molded on a stick. I love it! And full of such wonderful spices. I have a family member who can’t get beef of pork. After a while chicken gets tiresome. But this is a whole new way. Yay!!!
sounds like something new to try
These sound delicious! I love these flavors and my kids will think the skewers are fun ;)
Now I know what to do with that frozen ground chicken! Do you think they would be ok as patties rather than sticks?
Yes, absolutely!
you are lucky to have access to ground chicken. i m not a ground turkey person but its hard to get chicken around where i live.
Rachel, I love these and I totally agree about boredom and dinner ruts. We love ground chicken. I also love the tahini sauce that goes with these. I’d eat them for breakfast now if I could :)