Gaby
Humans have been skewering meat over fire for millennia, so there’s something inherently magical about campfire cooking. The taste and aroma of chicken grilled over an open flame simply can’t be matched by the same dish made on a stovetop, even if you can mimic a smoky flavor there.
Ingredients (serves 4): 4 chicken breast fillets; 1/2 cup olive oil; juice of 1 lemon; 2 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; black pepper to taste.
Make three cuts in each chicken breast to help the marinade soak in better.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts and rub it into the fillets with your hands. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Grill the marinated chicken breasts on a barbecue (on a grill or skewers) until fully cooked.
Tip
Marinated chicken breasts can also be baked in the oven or pan-fried. Add spices like garlic, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the marinade to give the meat a campfire-like smoky flavor.
Sear the chicken in a pan first using oil and spices to boost the smoky aroma of oven-baked meat.
Use liquid smoke or smoking liquid — a water solution of condensed smoke obtained from burning wood — by adding it to the meat before baking or mixing it into the marinade (use 1 teaspoon of flavoring for every kilogram of chicken, about 2.2 pounds).
Another option is smoking chips: wrap the chips in foil, place them at the bottom of the oven, light them, and let them smolder to create smoke (without an open flame). Then close the oven and bake.
Use the convection setting in the oven to enhance the effect. Turn the chicken regularly while baking so it absorbs the smoky flavor evenly.
We also have another chicken kebab recipe:
Cooking Outdoors: Chicken Kebab Recipe
Here we share stories, traditions, and tips about kebabs, plus a variety of recipes for kebabs and marinades:
The King of Picnics: His Majesty Kebab
