Have you guys tried preserved lemons? They are used in Moroccan and Middle Eastern cooking and I love them! I have a big jar of them I made in my fridge and they keep really well. A little goes a long way with them, but they are unique and add a burst of flavor that really doesn’t taste like anything else you are eating.
They are really simple to make, as they are just whole lemons preserved in salt and their own juices. They include the rind, and tons of salt, so they are very strong, and you use small amounts to add a burst of freshness and brightness to food. I based this recipe on one I saw on the Daley Plate, and until I saw this recipe I did not know that you could buy preserved lemon paste in a jar, so I decided to try it.
The chicken in this recipe is marinated overnight in a mix of the lemon paste, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dried herbs. The resulting chicken has a bright lemon flavor and I thought it was delicious. I served them with some quinoa, tomato/cuc salad, olives, feta, garlic naan and a dill sour cream/yogurt drizzle on top. Yum!
Preserved Lemon Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp preserved lemon paste
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried italian herbs
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp dill
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients and a ziploc bag and mix well. Add the chicken and marinate overnight. Thread onto skewers and heat your grill or broiler to medium high.
- Cook the chicken, turning the skewers once in a while, until cooked through and charred a bit on the edges. 20-25 minutes or so depending on your grill or oven.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce and taste and adjust salt/pepper/lemon as needed.
- Serve with your choice of sides including rice, quinoa, olives, salad, feta, sauce, etc.
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