This chicken koobideh is very similar to my koobideh kebab that is made with a mixture of beef and lamb. That is the traditional way of making a koobideh kebab. The fat loans itself to making the perfect kebabs. When using chicken mince, you need to add a little fat so that it doesn’t dry out when cooking. That and watch the baste the kebabs often as they cook to ensure they are perfect. In this post, I will show you how it’s done.
What is Chicken Koobideh?
Kebab Koobideh (pronounced koo-bee-deh) is a Persian minced meat kebab, usually made with lamb, beef, or a mixture of the two. So chicken koobideh is the chicken version of that famous kebab. The word “koobideh” means “to pound” or “to beat,” in Persian and it refers to the traditional way of preparing the meat so that it stays on the wide, flat skewer.
Nowadays, the meat is usually blended in a food processor or kneaded as I do in this recipe to break it right down.
Although chicken koobideh is similar to the traditional kebab koobideh, you do need to take additional steps so that the meat is really juicy when you serve it.
How do you cook chicken koobideh
Traditionally, chicken koobideh is cooked over hot coals on large, flat skewers. This gives the kebabs a delicious smoky and charred flavour.
This time I decided to cook my koobideh in my Doori Tandoor oven which worked very well. So cooking your chicken koobideh over coals on a barbecue or in a tandoor will get you the authentic flavour you are looking for.
If cooking over fire is not your thing, You could form the meat into patties or sausage shape and fry the kebabs over a medium-high heat in a pan until cooked through. You could also cook the meat in an oven, preheated to 200°C/400°F for about 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Ingredients
Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this chicken koobideh recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.
See recipe card for quantities.
- Onion
- Saffron
- Shredded/melted lamb or beef fat
- Minced (ground) chicken
- Garlic
- Pul Biber
- Sumac
- Dried chilli flakes
- Ghee or butter
- Salt
- Pepper
Variations
There are many different recipes for chicken koobideh and more traditional koobideh kebabs. Here are a few you might like to try.
- Simple: Season the chicken with nothing more than salt and pepper and mix in some chopped onion. This is chicken koobideh in its simplest form.
- Turkey: Try making this chicken koobideh, substituting ground turkey for the chicken. When doing this, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of rendered lamb or beef fat to make them extra juicy just like you do in this chicken koobideh.
- Oven or Stove: Although chicken koobideh is best cooked over fire, you could form the meat into sausage shapes and either fry them in a little oil over a medium-high heat or in an oven set to 200°C/400°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Step by step photos
Like many different kebabs, there aren’t a lot of ingredients in this chicken koobideh recipe. The ingredients all work so well together and these step by step photos will show you how to make these delicious kebabs at home. Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for ingredient measurements.
- Step 1: Wrap the chopped onion in a cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as you can can. You want the onion to be dry or your chicken koobideh could fall apart.
- Step 2: Any juice you squeeze out of the onions can be used with ghee to baste the kebabs while cooking.
- Step 3: Combine the chicken, yoghurt, garlic, beef or lamb fat, saffron and soaking water and all the ground spices, salt and pepper.
- Step 4: Work this meat mixture together until well combined. The chicken should take on a brownish colour from all the spices.
- Step 5: Now is when the work really begins. Start kneading the meat mixture like it is a dough ball. You want to get right in there and break that meat down until smooth. This is often done in a food processor but I prefer doing it by hand. This is an important step as it will help ensure the meat sticks to those flat skewers.
- Step 6: Place the prepared chicken mince, covered in the fridge for at least an hour. If you can let it marinate overnight, that's even better.
- Step 7: When ready to cook, squeeze the meat onto flat skewers tightly with your hand. You could also use kebab moulds which some people find easier.
- Step 8: You can cook the kebabs in a tandoor or over hot coals on a barbecue. In fact, if you want, you can also cook the kebab in a pan or on a tray in your oven. See FAQ below.
- Step 9: Your chicken koobideh kebabs are ready when the chicken is cooked through and charred in places. Be sure to baste the chicken with melted butter and leftover onion juice toward the end of cooking.
- Step 10: Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve over flatbreads with salad vegetables, grilled vegetables and/or red kebab shop sauce and garlic sauce.
Useful Equipment for Chicken Koobideh
While you can prepare and cook chicken koobideh in your kitchen, having the right equipment makes the process a lot easier.
Wide Flat Skewers (Seekh):
Koobideh requires special skewers that are wider and flatter than standard skewers. They help hold the minced meat in place and prevent it from slipping off during grilling. If you use round skewers, the meat is more likely to fall apart, especially for beginners.
Grater or Food Processor:
Onion is a crucial ingredient in Chicken Koobideh. It needs to be finely grated (not chopped) to blend seamlessly with the meat. A box grater or food processor is perfect for this job.
Charcoal Grill (Manghal):
Traditionally, Chicken Koobideh is cooked over a charcoal grill, giving it its characteristic smoky flavour. I used my Doori Tandoor this time which worked amazing well. Gas grills or even oven broilers can be used but nothing matches the aroma of kebabs cooked over glowing coals.
Large Mixing Bowl or Meat Mallet:
If you want to go the traditional route, pounding the meat by hand with a mallet helps develop the sticky texture needed to keep the meat on the skewer. Otherwise, kneading vigorously in a mixing bowl or on a counter top works too. That’s what I recommend.
What about kebab moulds?
I usually form my chicken koobideh by hand but I have been experimenting with the kebab moulds by Doori and love them. These moulds are great for beginners as it can be difficult to form kebabs by hand.
What do you serve with Chicken Koobideh?
This might be a Persian recipe but as with many dishes from Persia, they go very well with curries, rice, breads and dals.
Other Curries: If you are serving a group, why not make a few other popular rich Indian curries such as Butter Chicken, Chicken Lababdar, Laal Maas, and Lamb Dhansak
Rice Dishes: All of these side dishes will go great with dahi chicken curry - Steamed Basmati Rice, Boiled Basmati Rice, Pilau Rice, Mushroom Fried Rice
Breads: Tandoori Naans, Tandoori Roti, Chapatis, Spiced Chapatis, Stovetop Naans
Dals: Chana Dal, Tarka Dal, Spinach Dal, Dal Makhani
Storing and Reheating Chicken Koobideh
Like most kebabs, Chicken Koobideh is best enjoyed fresh off the grill. But if you’ve made too much, here’s how to store it:
Fridge:
Store cooked chicken Koobideh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure they’ve cooled completely before sealing to avoid condensation.
Freezing:
Wrap cooked chicken koobideh kebabs individually in foil or cling film, then place in freezer bags. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. You can also freeze raw the raw chicken koobideh mixture and shape it onto the skewers after thawing.
Reheating:
Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat, in the oven at 160°C (320°F), or on a grill for a quick re-char. Avoid microwaving as it can dry them out.
Top Tip
Get that meat extra cold: It is essential that the meat be really cold before you start forming it on the skewers. If it is too warm, it will fall off. So keep the meat cold while you form the kebabs.
FAQ
For best and most authentic results, yes. You can however cheat. Form the meat into sausage shapes or patties and fry over a medium-high heat in a pan until cooked through. You could also place the kebabs in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Yes. If it sounds good to you, do it. But remember that chicken koobideh is traditionally a simple kebab. Sometimes the kebabs have nothing more in them than salt and pepper.
No. Don't pass this delicious recipe by just because you don't have flat skewers. You can use any skewers or even cook the meat in a pan.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
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Chicken Koobideh
Simple and delicious. This chicken koobideh is a play on the more popular kebab koobideh made with beef and lamb mince. It's lighter but just as good!
Ingredients
- 1kg (2.2lbs) ground chicken
- 3 tbsp beef tallow (Optional), softened to room temperature
- 1 medium onion, grated and excess moisture squeezed out
- 1 pinch saffron soaked in 2 tbsp hot water for 10 minutes
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp flaky salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp Greek Yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Wrap the chopped onion in a cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as you can can.
You want the onion to be dry or your chicken koobideh could fall apart. Any juice you squeeze out of the onions can be used with melted ghee to baste the
kebabs during cooking. - Combine the chicken, yoghurt, garlic, beef or lamb fat, saffron and soaking water and
all the ground spices, salt and pepper. - Work this meat mixture together until well combined. The chicken should take on a
brownish colour from all the spices. - Now is when the work really begins. Start kneading the meat mixture like it is a
dough ball. You want to get right in there and break that meat down until
smooth. This is often done in a food processor but I prefer doing it by hand.
This is an important step as it will help ensure the meat sticks to those flat
skewers. - Place the prepared chicken mince, covered in the fridge for at least an hour. If you
can let it marinate overnight, that's even better. - When ready to cook, squeeze the meat onto flat skewers tightly with your hand. You
could also use kebab moulds which some people find easier. - You can cook the kebabs in a tandoor or over hot coals on a barbecue. In fact, if
you want, you can also cook the kebab in a pan or on a tray in your oven. - Your chicken koobideh kebabs are ready when the chicken is cooked through and
charred in places. Be sure to baste the chicken with melted butter and leftover
onion juice toward the end of cooking. - Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve over flatbreads with salad
vegetables, grilled vegetables and/or red kebab shop sauce and garlic sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 422Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 186mgSodium: 1296mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 40g
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