Chicken and Lamb Mixed Kebab
A large mixed kebab, please. Served with crisp salad and a proper chilli sauce. But this isn't your average late-night takeaway. This is the grown-up version: lamb and chicken marinated overnight in yoghurt and warm spice, then grilled over real embers until the outside chars and the fat renders into the fire. Wrapped in warm, blistered flatbread with fresh salad to cut through the richness. Think of your favourite high street kebab, cleaner and far more satisfying. The kind of thing you'll want to cook every weekend once you've done it once.
What You'll Need
Somerset Equipment
- Your Somerset Grill with Kebab Rack
Additional Kit
- Meat thermometer
- 2 large mixing bowls
- Fire gloves
- Tongs
Serves 4
For the Kebabs
- 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 500g diced lamb
For the Marinade
- 6 tbsp natural yogurt
- 2 tbsp Ras El Hanout
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tsp paprika
- 3 tsp dried mint
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
For the Kofte
500g lean minced lamb
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Ras El Hanout
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried mint
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
To Serve
- Flatbreads
- Pickles
- Chilli sauce
- Garlic mayo
- Fresh salad
Method
The Night Before (or 30 Minutes Ahead)
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl until well combined, then divide equally between two bowls. Add the chicken to one and the lamb to the other, making sure every piece is well coated. Cover and leave to marinate — 30 minutes works, but overnight in the fridge is significantly better.
Grill Setup
- Fit the Kebab Rack to your Somerset Grill frame and light your charcoal or wood 1 hour before you plan to cook. You're building towards a solid, even bed of glowing embers rather than open flame.
- Hold your hand 10cm above the embers. You're looking for 3–4 seconds — that's the medium-high heat that'll give you a good char without burning through before the inside is cooked.
Cooking
- Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers and the lamb onto separate skewers. Keep them separate — they cook to different internal temperatures.
- Place the skewers on the Kebab Rack over the embers and rotate regularly, every couple of minutes, for an even char all the way around. You're looking for a deep, golden-brown crust with some darker charred edges.
- Pull the chicken when it hits 70°C and the lamb when it reaches 65°C. This takes around 12–18 minutes depending on your ember heat and chunk size.
Serving
- Lay the flatbreads over the embers for 30–60 seconds per side to warm through and pick up a little char. Serve the skewers straight off the rack with flatbreads, pickles, chilli sauce, garlic mayo and a fresh salad alongside.
Top Tip: Threading the chicken and lamb onto separate skewers means you can pull each one at the right temperature without compromising either.
Preparing the Kofte
- Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Once everything is well mixed, knead the mixture firmly for around 5 minutes — this develops the proteins in the mince and helps the kofte hold their shape on the skewer.
- Divide the mixture into equal portions and roll each into a ball. Slide a flat metal skewer through the centre of each ball, then press and shape the mince firmly along the length of the skewer into a long, uniform kebab. The flat skewer is key here — it stops the kofte spinning as you turn them.
Grill Setup
- Fit the Kebab Rack to your Somerset Grill frame and light your charcoal or wood around 1 hour before you plan to cook, giving plenty of time to build a good bed of embers.
- Hold your hand 10cm above the embers. You're looking for 3–4 seconds — medium-high heat that'll colour the outside well and cook through without drying out the lamb.
Cooking
- Place the kofte on the Kebab Rack over the embers and turn regularly, every 2–3 minutes, for an even cook all the way around. You're looking for a deep, caramelised crust with a little char on the edges.
- Cook until the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 65°C — around 12–15 minutes depending on thickness and ember heat.
Serving
- Warm your flatbreads over the embers for 30–60 seconds per side. Serve the kofte straight off the skewers with flatbreads, pickles, chilli sauce, garlic mayo and fresh salad. Crack a cold beer and enjoy.
Top Tip: Flat skewers are essential for kofte — round ones let the meat spin freely when you turn them, making it hard to get an even cook. If you only have round skewers, use two per kofte, side by side.
Top Tip: The 5-minute knead isn't just mixing — it changes the texture of the mince and gives the kofte the structure to stay on the skewer over the fire. Don't skip it.
