While khachapuri and khinkali might be the dishes that spring to mind then thinking of Georgian cuisine, there is so much more to sample. And one of my favourites is also one of the most simple: mtsvadi.
Georgia lies in what I like to call “meat-on-a-stick” territory and you can find lots of variations of kebabs and grilled meat skewers – also sometimes referred to by their Russian name, shashlik. Mtsvadi is one of the most popular things you’ll find on a menu and it’s one of those things that is always juicy and delicious.
Made with either chicken or pork, my chicken mtsvadi is marinated to be as tender and juicy as possible, then grilled over high heat to get the optimal char. It’s simple, but it’s super craveable.
How to Make Georgian Chicken Mtsvadi
This recipe is fundamentally very simple, but you do need to account for marinating time, so make sure that you account for that when you want to make it.
So begin by making the marinade. This is super simple and comes together in one bowl.
All you need to do is add a finely minced onion (I like to chop it finely in a food processor or grate it on a box grater) and some pomegranate juice to a bowl. Make sure you’re using 100% pomegranate juice and not a juice with any added sugar.
To that, add in some garlic powder, sweet paprika, salt and sumac if you have it. Then, drizzle in a bit of neutral oil. Whisk all of this to combine and add your chicken.
I like using chicken thighs as they stand up to high heat much better than breasts. Cut the thighs into bite-sized pieces (I use kitchen shears for this) and then add it to the marinade.
Give everything a good stir to ensure it’s fully coated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24.
Timing-wise, I usually do this the night before I want to make this for dinner or the morning of.
That’s the majority of the work for this recipe! All you have to do now is skewer and cook the chicken.
Mtsvadi is typically made over open coals or on a barbecue, but if you don’t have access to this, I have a good workaround. You can get great results using a cast-iron skillet or grill pan. Just make sure your kitchen is well-ventilated before you start cooking – I set my smoke alarm off when first testing this recipe!
I like to preheat my skillet to ensure it’s ripping hot before cooking. To do this, add your skillet or grill pan to the oven and preheat it to 200°C/400°F. Once the oven is preheated, you can remove the skillet and set it over medium heat on the stove.
While your pan is preheating, go ahead and skewer your chicken. Remove it from the marinade and place it on some skewers, making sure there is a centimetre or two of space between each piece. If you’re using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for about 30 minutes before cooking to prevent them from burning.
Now it’s time to cook! Add your chicken skewers, working in batches if necessary so as not to overcrowd the pan, and cook your chicken until it’s browned and charred on one side. Flip and cook on the other side until the internal temperature reaches at least 75°C/165°F.
Once they’re at the right temperature, remove them from the pan and allow the skewers to rest for at least 5 minutes.
Then, remove the chicken from the skewers and serve – traditionally, mtsvadi is served topped with red onion and pomegranate seeds.
And if you want some uses for some classic Georgian sauces, mtsvadi is perfect with tkemali and satsebeli!
Chicken Mtsvadi
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion finely diced or grated
- 120 ml (½ cup) 100% pomegranate juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp sumac optional
- 3 g (½ tsp) salt (see note 1)
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) sunflower oil divided
- 1 kg (2 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ red onion thinly sliced, for garnish
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Add the onion, pomegranate juice, garlic powder, paprika, sumac, salt and 2 tbsp of the oil to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chicken and mix to ensure that it is entirely covered in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, put a large cast iron skillet or grill pan in the oven and preheat it to 200°C/400°F. Keep the skillet in the oven until the oven is completely preheated. This allows the pan to retain an even, hot temperature. While the skillet is preheating, remove the chicken from the marinade and place on skewers (see note 2), ensuring there is a couple of centimetres of space between each chicken piece.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and place over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the pan and place the chicken skewers on the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook the skewers until they are browned and beginning to char – 4-5 minutes – before flipping and cooking on the other side, or until the internal temperature measures at least 75°C/165°F. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before removing from the skewers and serving, topping with red onion and pomegranate seeds.
Notes
- For best results, measure salt by weight, as different salts vary in crystal size and density.
- If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes before use.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Chicken mtsvadi is a super simple Georgian dish to make and one of the biggest crowd-pleasers!
Do you want to make mtsvadi? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
