A New Discovery - Sheet Pan Kebabs

Juicy chicken seekh kebabs without the hassle of skewers or grilling

This was the first spring break that only one of my two daughters came home from college for the week. And while we missed Keya like crazy, the explosion of ‘stuff’ that creates chaos on the kitchen island when both girls are home was halved - lol!

The girls will usually put together a list prior to arriving for any break of all the things they want me to cook, what they want to cook for us, and where they want to eat out. Here’s the roundup of everything I made, aka Naiya’s faves:

• Mutton Ghee Roast - I had this dish in Mumbai on a recent trip and it rocked my world. I guess you really can’t go wrong with juicy mutton pieces stir fried in ghee and a roasted spices! I’m always fascinated by non veg cuisine cooked in more of a South Indian flavor - this dish hails from Mangalore. While it is supposed to be more of a dry fry, I tend to keep it more gravy-ish just because my family likes it better. And I did cool it on the amount of ghee that’s typically layered at every step.

• Everyday Dal - this is what we call the simple dal that we almost always have in our fridge made with masoor dal and an onion, fenugreek tadka.

• Begun Bhaja - fried eggplant rounds that are a Bengali favorite to accompany the dal.

• The infamous French Omelette from The Bear that I’ve been trying to perfect - it’s getting there!

• Calcutta Chicken Kathi Roll - During our childhood summers in India, this was always the FIRST thing we ate after we landed and arrived at our dad’s family home in Kolkata from a neighborhood street vendor. There may or may not have been some subsequent stomach issues, but it was so worth it. While it typically has chicken cubes grilled on skewers, I used the sheet pan chicken seekh kebabs (recipe below).

If you are interested in any of these recipes, please let me know!

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Chicken Seekh Kebabs, Sheet Pan Style

Every year I make a vow that we are going to grill outside all the time, and every year, we can’t seem to get our act together - which really puts a damper on my kebab and tandoori game. I’ve been seeing this sheet pan technique for kebabs pop up on my feed recently - and I thought I’d give it a try, but with my own little twist at the end. It was so much easier than having to shape the ground meat around skewers with the risk that they won’t hold their shape.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 lb ground chicken

• 1 large shallot, finely diced

• 1 tbsp garlic paste

• 1/2 tsp ginger paste

• 1-2 green chilies, minced

• Half of a small yellow or orange bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground

• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

• 2 tsp teaspoons salt

• 1 tbsp oil (I like to use mustard oil for additional flavor)

• 2 tbsp butter

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F

2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

3. Mix all the ingredients for the kebab mixture except for the butter in a mixing bowl.

   

4. Transfer the mixture onto the sheet pan. Using a spatula, spread it evenly in one layer (about an inch thick).

5. Divide lengthwise into equal rectangles about 2 inch across. For each kebab, using the spatula push the mixture inwards to ensure there is a gap between each kebab.

6. Using the spatula, make horizontal indents ~½ inch apart along each kebab strip.

   

7. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil on high for 3-5 minutes until the kebabs are brown and slightly charred.

8. Remove from the oven and spread the butter evenly on the kebabs.

9. Serve with pickled red onions, mint chutney, and a lemon wedge. Perfect with a paratha or rice!

   Pro tip (aka fun twist) to get the smoky grill flavor without the grill: Using tongs, burn a piece of charcoal on the stove until it’s red hot. Place it in a small metal bowl covered in aluminum foil. Put the kebabs in a dish that can be covered (avoid plastic), and make room in the dish to be able to place the metal bowl with the burning charcoal inside. Add 1 tsp of butter, oil or ghee onto the charcoal - it will start to smoke - and cover immediately. Leave the cover on for about 4-5 minutes. The smoke permeates the meat and recreates that grilled, smoky flavor.