Mediterranean Chicken Kofta

Name: Mediterranean Chicken Kofta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 lb ground chicken, preferably thigh meat for juiciness; 1 medium medium yellow onion, finely minced; 3 clove garlic cloves, minced to a paste; 0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 0.5 tsp smoked paprika; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt; 1 clove garlic clove, minced fine; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 0.5 tsp fine sea salt

Smoky Chicken Kofta — Juicy Spiced Meatballs Grilled to Perfection

Ground chicken gets a fragrant makeover with warm Middle Eastern spices, then shapes beautifully around skewers for the grill. The secret is keeping everything cold and letting the flavors meld — you'll get tender, smoky kofta that hold together perfectly over the flames.

MediterraneanMiddle EasternDinnerGluten FreeHigh ProteinGrillingChicken

Prep20 min

Cook12 min

Total32 min

Servings4

Difficultymedium

Nutrition

fat14g

carbs6g

protein32g

calories285

Ingredients

1½ lbground chicken, preferably thigh meat for juiciness
1 mediummedium yellow onion, finely minced
3 clovegarlic cloves, minced to a paste
¼ cupfresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tspground cumin
1 tspground coriander
½ tspsmoked paprika
¼ tspcayenne pepper(optional)
1 tspkosher salt
½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil

Sauce

1 cupwhole milk Greek yogurt
1 clovegarlic clove, minced fine
1 tbspfresh lemon juice
2 tbspfresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ tspfine sea salt

Instructions

Submerge 8 wooden skewers completely in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for 30 minutes. This prevents them from charring and splitting on the grill.
⏱ 30 min
Add the ground chicken, minced onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Keep your hands cold by running them under cold water first — this helps everything stay properly chilled.
Work the mixture gently but thoroughly with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Don't overwork it or the kofta will turn dense — just mix until you can't see streaks of spice.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each around a soaked skewer, pressing firmly to form sausage-like logs about 4 inches long. Wet your hands if the mixture starts sticking, and make sure the meat is tightly packed around the skewer.
Place the shaped kofta on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes. This firming step is crucial — it helps them hold together during the high heat of grilling.
⏱ 15 min
While the kofta chill, whisk together the yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, mint, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt as needed — the sauce should be bright and tangy.
Heat your grill or a heavy grill pan to medium-high heat. The surface should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly, but not so hot that it smokes aggressively.
Grill the kofta, turning them every 3 minutes to cook all sides evenly. You want a nice golden-brown crust on each side and an internal temperature of 165°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer. Total cooking time should be about 12 minutes.
⏱ 12 min
Transfer the kofta to a serving platter and let them rest for 2 minutes — this allows the juices to redistribute. Serve immediately alongside the cooling yogurt sauce.
⏱ 2 min