Tender Chicken Kofta with Savory Garlic Yogurt Sauce (Print version)

Juicy ground chicken kofta with warm spices, fresh herbs, and a cool garlic yogurt sauce for a fast skillet dinner.

# Ingredients:

For the chicken kofta

01 - 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
02 - 1/3 cup finely grated yellow onion, squeezed lightly
03 - 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
04 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
05 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for hands if needed

For the garlic yogurt sauce

12 - 1 cup (240 g) plain Greek yogurt
13 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
17 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

For serving

18 - Warm pita, rice, or lettuce cups
19 - Sliced cucumber, tomato, and lemon wedges

# Instructions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, grated onion, garlic, parsley, mint, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix gently with your hands just until evenly combined.
02 - Divide the mixture into 8 portions and shape into short logs or oval patties. If the mixture feels sticky, lightly oil your hands or chill it for 10 minutes.
03 - Stir together the Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and salt. Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon, then set aside.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin film of olive oil. Cook the kofta in batches for 10-12 minutes total, turning every few minutes, until browned and cooked to 165°F in the center.
05 - Transfer the kofta to a plate and rest for 3 minutes. Serve with garlic yogurt sauce, pita or rice, cucumber, tomato, and lemon wedges.

# Good to know:

01 - Use ground chicken with some dark meat for the juiciest kofta.
02 - Chill shaped kofta for 10 minutes if the mixture feels too soft to handle.
03 - Cook ground chicken to 165°F for food safety.

Back