These delicious Turkish turkey skewers are made with finely spiced, tender turkey breast cubes. You can grill them outside or in a grill pan.
Skewers generally, not only Turkish turkey skewers, are always a hit at any grill party around here. Especially the kids prefer skewers to steaks, for instance. OK, sausages might be the first choice for the children, but these turkey skewers are always close behind. Or these Easy Grilled Chicken Tenders.
To make this delicious turkey skewer recipe, all you need are turkey cubes from a large breast piece, an onion, and some spices.
Check out more skewer recipes, these juicy Pork Belly Skewers, Blackberry Chicken Skewers, or these Pork Kebabs with Vegetables.
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Why will you love this recipe?
It's easy and uses just a few simple ingredients.
It's made with lean turkey breast cubes, so it will probably be the healthiest dish you could serve at a grill party, except for the salad.
Versatile: These turkey skewers go well with anything, from Garlic Bread Baguette to green salad with Yogurt Dressing to Sour Cream Potato Salad.
Recipe ingredients
Turkey breast: Cut into large cubes. You can also make the skewers with turkey thigh cubes.
Onion: You will grate it and use it to marinate the cubes.
Spices: Fine sea salt, ground black pepper, sweet ground paprika, dried thyme, vinegar, and olive oil are found in most spice cupboards.
You can definitely go from here and add more spices or completely other spice combinations to your taste. Or try this Hot Peri Peri Seasoning.
Rice vinegar to tenderize the turkey cubes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make turkey kebabs?
- Step #1: Cut the meat into evenly sized cubes. Place them in a large bowl.
- Step #2: Add grated onion, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, dried thyme, vinegar, and oil to the onions. Stir well. Use your hands; it works best.
- Step #3: Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, covered with plastic wrap or cling film. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking and let the meat come to room temperature.
- Step #4: In the meantime, soak the wooden skewers in cold water; this will prevent them from burning. If using metal skewers, donโt soak them.
- Step #5: Skewer the meat, about 4 cubes on each skewer. Brush them lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
How to cook the skewers in a grill pan?
- Step #1: Heat the grill pan and brush it lightly with olive oil. When the pan is hot, place some of the skewers in it, as many as they fit without touching each other.
- Step #2: Grill the Turkish turkey skewers for about 15 minutes, turning several times in between, making sure that all the sides make contact with the pan at one point or another.
- Step #3: Check for doneness by cutting one piece of turkey meat in the middle.
- Step #4: Grill the remaining turkey kebabs the same way.
Cook them on the BBQ
You can also cook the turkey skewers on the preheated grill outside. Cook them for 8-10 minutes turning them on all sides, until they are cooked through and are nicely charred around the edges. Make sure to check that they are cooked through. Otherwise allow them a few more minutes and check again.
Oven method: You can also cook the turkey skewers in the preheated oven (400ยฐF/ 200ยฐ) for about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. They will taste delicious, but they will not be crispy and charred.
Good to know!
The recipe for these particular Turkish turkey skewers could not be easier. The โmost difficultโ part is cutting the breast into very similar-sized cubes.
That is important because you want all the meat cubes to make contact with the grill pan while cooking so that all of them are cooked at the same time thus all of them remaining juicy and tender.
If some cubes are too large they will prevent the smaller cubes from touching the grill, so do make an effort to cut them all as evenly as you can.
Recipe FAQs
You can also use turkey thigh meat; the cooking time might be a bit longer, so make sure to check that the meat is cooked through.
Chicken breasts or thighs and lean pork (tenderloin) are also delicious. The cooking time might vary, so always check.
Keep leftover turkey skewers in an airtight container; the meat will be fine for 2-3 days.
Freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months and thaw them in the fridge.
Reheat them before serving; the easiest way is to do it in the oven.
Wooden skewers should be soaked before using so that they don't burn on the grill. Metal skewers are a great alternative; they don't need soaking, and they are usually larger, allowing you to thread more meat on one skewer.
What to serve with the skewers?
More summer recipes
Recipe
Easy Turkey Skewers
Ingredients
- 1.7 lb turkey breast 750 g
- 1 medium onion
- 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + more to sprinkle over the kebabs
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Marinade:
- Make the marinade: Grate the onion. Place it into a bowl large enough to hold the turkey breast cubes. Add the sweet paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil to the onions. Stir well.1 medium onion + 1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika powder + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper + 3 tablespoons rice or cider vinegar + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Turkey kebabs:
- Cut the turkey breast into evenly sized cubes of ca 1.5 inches/ 4 cm.1.7 lb turkey breast/ 750 g
- Marinate: Place the turkey cubes in the bowl and stir well, ensuring that the meat pieces are coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap/cling film and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking and let come to room temperature.
- In the meantime, soak the wooden skewers in cold water to prevent them from burning.
- Skewer the meat, about 4 cubes on each skewer. Brush lightly with some olive oil and sprinkle with a little extra salt.
- Heat the grill pan, brush lightly with olive oil. Place some of the turkey kebabs in the pan, as many as they fit without touching each other.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, turning several times in between, making sure that all the sides make contact with the pan at one point or another.
- Check for doneness by cutting one piece of turkey meat in the middle.
Holly says
Never thought of using turkey in kebabs and this is brilliant idea! I also cry a lot while grating onion so I feel you. But I bet it makes the turkey much more flavorful.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
I never thought to grill turkey before!! I'll need to start doing it. I love how simple yet flavor packed these kebabs are...and so perfect for summer.
angiesrecipes says
Looks really flavourful and tender! The marinade sounds really great too.