Cilantro-lime Grilled Chicken Recipe

Prep chicken and marinade

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. Place pieces in a medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, fresh lime juice, lime zest, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, and olive oil until smooth.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. (If short on time, 30–45 minutes will impart some flavor.)

Skewer the chicken

If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent burning. Thread marinated chicken onto skewers, leaving a small gap between pieces for even cooking. Discard any excess marinade left in bowl or reserve for basting only if brought to a simmer.

While chicken marinates, place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof jar or bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, water, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring, just until sugar and salt dissolve (do not need to boil).

Pour the warm pickling liquid over the sliced onions, press onions down to submerge, let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Pickled onions will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear to remove excess starch; drain well.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and stir for 1 minute to coat and lightly toast.

Add water or chicken broth, ground turmeric, and kosher salt. Stir, bring to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in chopped cilantro.

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Oil the grill grates lightly with a paper towel dipped in olive oil using tongs to prevent sticking.

Place chicken skewers on the hot grill. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until exterior has good char marks and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Total grill time will be about 10–12 minutes depending on piece size.

If using a hot spot on the grill, move skewers to cooler area after charring to finish cooking through without burning.

Transfer skewers to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes to redistribute juices.

To serve: mound turmeric rice on plates, place 2 skewers per serving on top or beside the rice, garnish with pickled red onions and extra cilantro leaves, and serve with lime wedges. Optionally spoon yogurt-cilantro sauce on the side or drizzle over chicken.