Take inspiration from the slow food movement and put some care into these chicken skewers with your own yoghurt bread - and you can even attempt your own chicken salt.

Recipes Rosa Matto | Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Chicken in beer skewers wrapped in yoghurt bread
serves 6

yogurt bread
preparation time: 10 minutes | resting time: 30 minutes | cooking time: 2 minutes

220g Greek yoghurt
140g self-rising flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp fennel seeds

Combine yoghurt, flour, salt and fennel seeds in large bowl. The consistency should feel smooth, without being sticky; adjust with a little more flour if it is. Knead dough on lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces. Shape into balls and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Roll each ball into a thin circle using a rolling pin. Heat a cast-iron skillet at a high temperature and add dash of extra virgin olive oil. Cook flatbread for a few minutes on each side. Each flatbread will puff up and develop charred spots. Repeat with remaining dough pieces until all flatbreads are cooked.

chicken in beer on skewers
preparation time: 5 minutes | resting time: 20 minutes | cooking time: 30 minutes

11/2kg chicken thigh fillets, with skin
4 stems rosemary
2 leaves fresh bay leaves
4 stems thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
500ml local beer
40ml extra virgin olive oil
200g plain flour
salt and pepper
chicken salt*

To prepare chicken, first take chicken thighs and remove the skin to make chicken salt. Cut thighs into even bite-sized pieces, put in large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, sage leaves and garlic clove. Pour in beer to cover chicken. Cover bowl with cling film and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes. Then drain chicken from liquid, but keep marinade to use later.

Thread chicken onto six skewers. Lightly roll in flour, shaking to remove excess. Take a large frying pan, which can easily hold the chicken skewers in a single layer, and heat 4 tbsp of oil. Add chicken skewers to hot oil. Brown for a few minutes on both sides. Add marinade. Lower heat to moderate, cover with lid and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Remove lid and let sauce reduce and chicken brown. Serve with lemon wedge, lettuce leaves, pan juices, chicken salt and then wrap in yoghurt flat bread.

*For chicken salt

Commercial chicken salt has no chicken in it. This is a way of utilising the skin which might otherwise be thrown away. Research ethically farmed chicken and learn where and how the chicken you buy is raised.

Remove skin from the thigh fillets. Set it flat between two sheets of baking paper. Dry out in a moderate oven until crisp and perfectly dry. When cold, snap into pieces and process to a powder, mix with salt to your liking. Store in a jar in fridge no longer than 5 days.

 

This article first appeared in the March 2023 issue of SALIFE magazine.