• Soak the skewers: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 20-30 minutes to prevent them from burning during cooking.
• Prepare the marinade: In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, ground saffron, salt, turmeric powder, and pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken breast pieces in a shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat the pieces evenly. Cover the dish or seal the bag, and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight for more intense flavor.
• Skewer the chicken: Preheat your grill, chargrill, or oven according to your preferred cooking method:

  a. For grilling: Preheat a charcoal grill until the coals are ashed over or heat a gas grill to medium-high heat.

  b. For chargrilling: Preheat a chargrill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

  c. For roasting: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip off. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, alternating with slices of red onion for added flavour and colour.
• Cooking Methods:

  a. Grilling: Place the skewers directly on the grill grates and cook, turning them occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius. This typically takes about 12-15 minutes.

  b. Chargrilling: Place the skewers on the preheated chargrill or grill pan. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius. This usually takes about 10-12 minutes.

  c. Roasting: Place the skewers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased. Roast in the preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius.
• Serve: Once the chicken is cooked to perfection, remove the skewers from the heat source. Let them rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve the saffron chicken skewers hot with your choice of accompaniments like rice, salad, or pita bread.

Alternative Cooking Method

• Instead of grilling, chargrilling, or roasting, you can also cook the skewers on a stovetop grill pan or even under a broiler in your oven. Adjust the cooking times accordingly to ensure the chicken is cooked through.