Tassel Ridge Tunisian Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

Kebab Ingredients

  • 2 medium red bell pepper
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 14- oz jar sweet peppadew or other sweet pickled red peppers
  • ½ cup juice from pepper jar
  • 1 cup olive oil plus more for grilling
  • salt
  • 6 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, lightly pounded and cut into 1-inch wide lengthwise strips
  • 30-40 bamboo skewers

Tunisian Relish

  • 1 cup dried currants
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 2 cups pitted green olives chopped
  • 1 cup sweet peppadew peppers chopped
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar
  • salt

Instructions

Kebab Directions:

  1. Roast bell peppers directly over gas flame or under broiler, turning until charred all over. Place in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool. When cool, peel, seed, and core peppers. Meanwhile, soak currants in ½ cup hot water until plump, about 5 minutes. Drain. Purée roasted peppers, peppadews and juice, and olive oil in blender. Season lightly with salt. Thread chicken strips onto bamboo skewers. Place in large rimmed baking sheet. Pour half of pepper marinade over chicken, turning to coat completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Refrigerate remaining half of marinade in serving bowl. Light grill. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess marinade drip off. Oil grill grates. Grill chicken skewers over high heat, turning with tongs until lightly charred and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve hot with reserved marinade and Tunisian Relish. Serves 20.

Tunisian Relish Directions:

  1. Put currants in bowl. Add ½ cup hot water. Soak currants until plump, about 5 minutes. Drain, pressing out excess water. Return currants to bowl. Add olives, peppadews, olive oil, and vinegar. Stir to combine. Season with salt. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Recipe Notes

Serving Suggestion—Serve with Tunisian Relish.

Wine Recommendation— Tassel Ridge Iowa Candleglow ® White This recipe for Tunisian Chicken Kabobs has some spice and some fairly light flavors, so a well-chilled dry white wine will complement this recipe nicely. My choice is Tassel Ridge Iowa Candleglow ® White . A dry white, it has pineapple, pear, melon, and apricot notes on the nose and palate and a finish that hints of green apple. Made from La Crescent, Brianna, and Edelweiss grapes grown in our Mahaska County, Iowa, vineyards, Iowa Candleglow White is best served chilled. — Bob Wersen, Owner, Tassel Ridge Winery