Mix Grill Recipe

Prepare chicken marinade

In a large bowl combine 2 cups plain yogurt, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 6 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add the boneless chicken thighs and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Prepare lamb marinade

In another bowl whisk 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbs honey (optional) and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Add lamb cubes, mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Prepare shrimp

Toss the shrimp with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp lemon juice. Refrigerate for 15–30 minutes — shrimp should not marinate for too long or texture will change.

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers leaving a little space between pieces. Thread lamb cubes onto separate skewers. Thread shrimp two or three per skewer depending on size. Alternate vegetables (onion wedges, bell pepper pieces, zucchini slices and cherry tomatoes) on skewers for vegetable-only skewers or intersperse between meat pieces as desired. Reserve any leftover marinade for basting (do not use yogurt-based chicken marinade for basting once raw juices have mixed; set aside a small portion before adding raw chicken if you want to baste with it).

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Oil the grates lightly. Place lamb skewers first on the hottest part of the grill; cook 3–4 minutes per side to develop crust, then move to a slightly cooler zone and cook another 6–10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 60–63°C (140–145°F) for medium-rare to medium. Remove and rest 5–10 minutes.

Place chicken skewers on the grill and cook 4–5 minutes per side, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) and juices run clear. Timing will vary with thickness — adjust heat to avoid burning. Remove and rest 5 minutes.

Grill shrimp skewers 1.5–2.5 minutes per side until opaque and just firm. Shrimp cook quickly — avoid overcooking.

Grill vegetable skewers 3–5 minutes per side until tender and charred in spots. Move finished vegetables to a warm platter.

If desired, baste lamb or vegetables lightly with reserved olive-oil-based marinade during grilling (do not baste with any marinade that contacted raw chicken/shrimp unless boiled).

While grilling, make the garlic-herb sauce: in a bowl whisk together 2 cups plain yogurt, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup finely chopped parsley, 1/2 cup chopped mint (optional), 1 tbs lemon zest, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with 2 tbs olive oil and sprinkle 1 tsp sumac.

Arrange rested meats, shrimp and vegetables on a large platter. Sprinkle the entire platter with remaining 1 tsp sumac and torn parsley if desired. Serve with warm flatbreads, mixed greens or tabbouleh and lemon wedges on the side.

To serve, offer flatbreads and sauce for guests to assemble wraps, and provide tongs for picking pieces from the platter. Leftover cooked meats keep 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.