There’s a certain kind of summer dinner that feels like it belongs on a patio somewhere with string lights overhead, and this is that dinner. Juicy, herb-flecked chicken skewers, charred just enough at the edges, piled onto warm naan with crunchy greens, briny olives, tangy pepperoncini, and a cool, garlicky yogurt sauce. Because it’s fresh, it’s a little messy in the best way, and it comes together with way less effort than it looks like. Thanks to Our Countertop for this yummy recipe!
The secret to the chicken (and the sauce) is Kalona SuperNatural Organic Yogurt. It’s made with milk from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows on small family farms, and you can really taste the difference — it’s rich and tangy in a way that makes the marinade genuinely craveable, not just a vehicle for spices. You can find it at your local @wholefoods.
Why Yogurt Is the MVP of This Marinade
Yogurt does double duty here. Specifically, the natural acidity gently tenderizes the chicken thighs, while the fat keeps everything moist and juicy even after a hot, fast trip on the grill. Add in fresh dill and mint, a good squeeze of lemon, garlic, a touch of honey for balance, and warm shawarma seasoning, and you get a marinade that’s doing a lot of flavor work with very little fuss. Plus the same yogurt base carries over into the sauce, so you’re only opening one container and dirtying way fewer dishes.
What You’ll Need
For the chicken + marinade:
- 1½ lbs chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 cup Kalona SuperNatural Organic Yogurt.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1½ tbsp shawarma seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cherry tomatoes
- Skewers
The yogurt sauce:
- ¾ cup Kalona SuperNatural Organic Yogurt.
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Serving:
- Naan bread
- Chopped greens
- Sliced pepperoncini
- Kalamata olives
- Tomatoes from the skewers
How to Make It
- Mix the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, dill, mint, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, shawarma seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and let it marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if you can plan ahead — the longer, the better.
- Skewer it up. Thread the chicken and cherry tomatoes onto skewers.
- Grill. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred.
- Make the sauce. While the skewers cook, whisk together the yogurt, dill, mint, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper for the sauce.
- Load the naan. Warm the naan bread and top with chopped greens, pepperoncini, Kalamata olives, the reserved tomatoes from the skewers, and a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce.
- Finish and serve. Add the chicken skewers on top, or slide the chicken off and pile it onto the naan. Finish with extra fresh herbs and dig in.
Serving Tips
This is a build-your-own kind of meal, so don’t be afraid to set everything out family-style and let people load their naan exactly how they like it. It’s great for a backyard dinner, a casual get-together, or just an easy weeknight upgrade. Leftover chicken (if you have any) makes a fantastic salad topper or wrap filling the next day.
Fresh, bright, a little smoky from the grill, and finished with that tangy yogurt sauce — this one’s going into the regular summer rotation.