• Zest the lemon. Combine the zest with the yogurt, oil and spices/seasoning in a bowl and mix well.
  100 g natural yogurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp sea salt
• Cut the chicken into even sized pieces. Add to the marinade and mix well to coat.
  300 g chicken thighs
• Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge. Ideally, this will take at least 2–3 hours. If necessary, though, 30 minutes will work.
• Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to cook, and thread onto 4 skewers. If you are using bamboo skewers rather than metal, you should soak them in water first.

Cook in the Oven

• Arrange the skewers, ready for the oven. I bake my kebab shop chicken shish kebabs on a trivet in a baking pan. If you prefer, you can use an oiled or parchment-lined baking tray.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C fan / Gas 5 / 375°F. Then, when you are ready, bake for about 15 minutes.

  If you use bamboo skewers, you will need a few minutes longer. This is because the heat won't reach the centre of the meat as fast.
• Once the meat is cooked through, remove from the oven and serve.

  Alternatively finish the meat on a smoking hot oiled griddle for a minute or two, turning once to add some char.

Cook on the BBQ (Grill)

• Light the charcoal or gas BBQ 30 minutes before cooking. Once heated, when the charcoal is white cook for 6-8 minutes each side. Oil the grill to stop sticking.

Oven Grill (Broiler)

• Light the grill/broiler and leave it for 5 minutes to heat.

  Place the kebabs on a lined baking tray and grill for about 6 minutes each side. Keep a close eye on them if your grill has any hot spots, and move downwards if needed.

Electric Griddle

• Switch on the grill and leave it to heat up. Cook the kebabs in the closed grill for 5–8 minutes, depending on the power of the grill.