Deboning a chicken thigh is quick and easy. There’s just one key bone to be removed, right in the middle, and with a small, sharp knife (I use a paring knife) you can easily cut the little bone away, leaving the flesh in one piece. The skin is easy to peel off in one piece.

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs, skin removed, deboned in one piece

1 cup / 250 ml plain Greek yoghurt

Juice of 1 large very ripe lemon

2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves

1 tsp crushed dried garlic

½ tsp ground cumin

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Method

Debone the chicken thighs and remove the skin.

Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl or bakkie and stir very well. 

Dunk the chicken thighs in the marinade and mush it around so that it is all rubbed in and covered completely. Marinate for 4 hours or more in the refrigerator.

I forgot to soak the skewers in water for half an hour, hence the blackening of the skewers in the photograph. So do that and pat them dry.

Skewer 2 or 3 thighs on the sticks, pushing the sharp end through the thigh at least twice to make them secure.

Braai them over very hot coals until tender, about 15 minutes, turning frequently. You could mix more lemon and garlic into some yoghurt to serve with them. A simple Greek salad would be a good match. DM/TGIFood

Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Champion 2021. His book, foodSTUFF, is available in the DM Shop. Buy it here. 

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks. Share your versions of his recipes with him on Instagram and he’ll see them and respond.

SUBSCRIBE to TGIFood here. Also visit the TGIFood platform, a repository of all of our food writing.