I don’t know how strongly to stress that the boneless chicken meat to be used for kebabs should be from the thighs rather than the breasts. Thigh meat will remain juicy and tender, whereas breast meat—almost no matter how careful you are—will become dry, pasty, and tough. Buy boneless thighs (or, as I’ve seen recently, boneless legs) or bone them yourself (and save the bones for stock)—the process is intuitive and easy. As with Shish Kebab (page 354), if you want to grill other vegetables—tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, more onions, whatever—skewer them separately, then brush them with a little olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper before grilling. Sumac is a sour spice found at Middle Eastern food stores.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 large onions, peeled

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　3 bay leaves, crumbled into bits

　　1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

　　2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or legs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

　　Lemon wedges or ground sumac

　　

Step 1

When you’re ready to cook—if you choose not to marinate the meat—start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill; the fire should be moderately hot and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Mince one of the onions and combine it in a large bowl with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and marjoram; taste and adjust the seasoning. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least a few minutes or for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

　　

Step 2

If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water to cover for a few minutes. Cut the remaining onion into quarters, then separate it into large pieces. Thread the chicken and onion alternately onto the skewers, leaving a little space between pieces. Grill, turning as each side browns and brushing with the remaining marinade, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the lemon wedges or sprinkle with a bit of sumac.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.