Chicken Kofta with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Chicken Kofta with Smooth Tahini Sauce
These aromatic ground chicken skewers pack serious Middle Eastern flavor — warm spices like cinnamon and allspice meld with fresh herbs to create something far more interesting than your average grilled chicken. The tahini sauce turns silky and drizzleable with just the right amount of warm water whisked in.
Middle EasternDinnerGluten FreeDairy FreeHigh ProteinGrillingChicken
Ingredients
Kofta
- 1 lbground chicken, preferably dark meat blend
- 1 tbspfresh mint, finely minced
- ¼ cupyellow onion, minced very fine
- ¼ cupfresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 3 clovegarlic cloves, minced to a paste
- ½ tspground allspice
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ¼ tspcayenne powder
- 1 tbspground coriander
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1½ tspground cinnamon
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- bamboo skewers
Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cuptahini, well-stirred
- 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
- 1 clovegarlic clove, minced fine
- ½ tspfine sea salt
- warm water
Instructions
- Submerge 4 bamboo skewers completely in water — they need at least 30 minutes to soak through, which prevents them from burning on the grill.⏱ 30 min
- Heat a thin film of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're completely soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. You want all the sharp bite cooked out.
- Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant and softened, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely before mixing with the meat.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the cooled onion mixture, herbs, and all the spices. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands — you want everything evenly distributed without overworking the meat.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. With damp hands, mold each portion around a soaked skewer, forming a 6-7 inch log that's about 1½ inches thick. The meat should feel snug on the skewer without gaps.
- Fire up your grill to medium-hot heat. You should be able to hold your hand 5 inches above the grates for about 3-4 seconds — any hotter and the outside will char before the inside cooks through.
- Grill the kofta, turning every 3 minutes, until all sides are nicely browned and the internal temperature hits 175°F on an instant-read thermometer. Total cooking time should be about 12 minutes.⏱ 12 min
- While the kofta grills, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl. The mixture will look thick and paste-like at first — don't worry.
- Gradually whisk in warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce transforms into a smooth, pourable consistency. You'll need about 3-4 tablespoons total — the sauce should coat a spoon but still drizzle easily.
- Serve the hot kofta alongside the tahini sauce with warm pita breads, diced fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and fresh cilantro for building your own wraps.