Citrus Chicken Pineapple Kebabs

Lemon zest and crushed cardamom seeds add a lovely flavour to marinated, grilled chicken kebabs, threaded with juicy chunks of fresh pineapple and baby plum tomatoes and served with crunchy pitta crisps. 

Ingredients:

KEBABS

• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed and pods discarded
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 450g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 24 baby plum tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

PITTA CRISPS

• 4 white or wholemeal pitta breads
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs or 2 tsp dried
  

SERVES 4
PREPARATION TIME 35 minutes, plus 1–2 hours marinating
COOKING TIME 15–20 minutes


Method:

1. Mix together the lemon zest and juice, oil, honey, cardamom seeds and chopped coriander in a shallow dish. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat well, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1–2 hours. Soak 12 wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
2. To make the pitta crisps, preheat the grill to moderate. Cut each pitta bread across in half, then split into 2 layers. Mix together the oil, garlic and herbs and lightly brush each piece of pitta on both sides with the oil mixture. Place the pitta on the rack in a grill pan (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Grill for 4–5 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp, turning once. Place on a plate and keep warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool.
3. Thread the chicken pieces, pineapple chunks and baby plum tomatoes alternately onto the skewers, dividing the ingredients evenly. Grill for 10–15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Brush the kebabs regularly with the marinade to prevent them from drying out. Serve with the pitta crisps.