Sheet Pan Chicken Koobideh

This sheet pan chicken koobideh brings all the smoky, spiced flavors of grilled kebabs to your dinner table in just 30 minutes. No skewers or grill required!

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Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Sheet Pan Chicken Koobideh

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Chicken koobideh

• 2 pounds ground dark chicken
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• ½ teaspoon saffron
• 1 medium onion
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided

To serve

• lavash, naan, or basmati rice
• roasted tomatoes, sumac red onion salad, tzatziki, harissa sauce, etc.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a half sheet pan (18x13 inches) with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Combine warm water and saffron in a small bowl and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
• Peel onion and grate using the large grater. Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the grated onions.
• Add ground chicken, grated onions, saffron with the water, smoked paprika, coriandere, salt, black pepper, and turmeric in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Spread chicken onto prepared baking sheet and spread into one even layer. Brush the top of the chicken with the remaining tablespoon olive oil.
• Turn the baking sheet horizontally and use a bench scraper or knife to make indentations 2-inches apart. Turn the baking sheet vertically and lightly press with a bench scraper to make indentations every inch. Bake the chicken koobideh for 15-17 minutes.
• Turn the broiler on high and continue to broil the koobideh for 4-5 minutes or until lightly charred. Remove from the oven and cut the koobideh into 2-inch strips, where the indentations were made. Serve with lavash, naan, or basmati rice and toppings including roasted tomatoes, sumac red onion salad, tazatiki, and harissa sauce.

Notes

Find the recipe for sumac red onions in my lula meatball recipe.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare chicken

Let's start with getting that chicken seasoned. The key to great koobideh is in the spice blend and the texture.

First, you'll bloom some saffron in warm water. This step is crucial because it releases all those gorgeous floral notes and golden color.

While that's steeping, grate your onion and then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Too much liquid will make the chicken too moist and can make it steam instead of roast and char properly.

In a large bowl, combine ground dark chicken with the grated onion, the bloomed saffron with water, smoked paprika, coriander, salt, black pepper, and turmeric.

If you can't find dark ground chicken, you can purchase boneless chicken thighs and finely chop them with a food processor. I prefer to use dark chicken to avoid having the koobideh try out. You can also use ground turkey, ground beef, or ground lamb.

Mix everything until it's well combined. At this point, you can let the mixture sit overnight and let the flavors deepen even further. However, I found that the chicken koobideh was still flavorful if immediately cooked.

Step 2: Shape koobideh

Traditionally, koobideh is formed around flat metal skewers and grilled over charcoal, giving it those beautiful char marks and smoky flavor. But we're making this easy with a sheet pan.

Spread the seasoned chicken mixture onto your prepared, oiled baking sheet in one even layer. Then, brush the top with olive oil to help it get that gorgeous golden color.

The oil also helps make it easier to smooth the top layer.

To mimic the shape of traditional koobideh, we're going to use a bench scraper. Turn the baking sheet horizontally and use a bench scraper or knife to make indentations about 2 inches apart. This marks the individual "skewers."

Turn the sheet pan vertically and make lighter indentations every inch. These indentations create natural breaking points so your koobideh will have that traditional kabab shape once it's cooked.

Step 3: Bake

Pop the sheet pan into a 425-degree oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

To get that authentic charred flavor without a grill, turn on the broiler and finish cooking the sheet pan chicken koobideh. Let it go for 4-5 minutes until you see those beautiful charred edges forming.

This step mimics that traditional grilled flavor and gives you those caramelized, slightly crispy bits that make koobideh so irresistible.

Once it's done, cut along those indentations you made earlier to create individual strips. Serve these beauties wrapped in warm lavash or naan, or over fluffy basmati rice.

Make sure you don't hold back on the toppings. Roasted tomatoes, sumac red onion salad, cooling tzatziki, and a drizzle of spicy harissa sauce make this meal absolutely unforgettable. If you're roasting tomatoes, you can cook them at the same time as the koobideh.

Boy oh boy, to say this sheet pan chicken koobideh was delicious would be an understatement. I myself was amazed at how much flavor was packed in every bite, and yet, you still get a bit of char. The chicken itself is wonderful, but served with all the toppings, it's something else!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can season the koobideh and shape it on the sheet pan the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in the oven until warm. You can also freeze the uncooked koobideh for up to 2 months.

More Mediterranean chicken recipes

Looking for more Mediterranean chicken ideas? Try these: