Grilling season is here and that means it’s time to fire up the grill and enjoy the little bits of charred meat from wooden skewers with this yummy Tahini Chicken Skewers recipe!
Tahini Chicken Skewers is a low carb and a better-for-you grilling option when it’s too hot to cook using your oven.
This particular recipe is one that the entire family will love, especially with the tahini dipping sauce!
Dipping Sauce for Kebabs
Tahini makes for the perfect dipping sauce for kebabs. Plus, it’s low in carbs, so it’s a better-for-you option than other dipping sauces that are high in sugar.
The Tahini Sauce in this recipe is super easy to make (it only contains 3 ingredients) or you can easily use a store-bought Tahini Sauce if you want.
Dipping sauces for your meat skewers bring an enhanced flavor to your meal.
If you can choose a sauce that is low in sugar, it will be a better option for everyone!
Tahini Sauce vs Tzatziki Sauce
I’ve been asked about the difference between Tahini and Tzatzkiki sauces and wanted to pass along this info in case you were wondering the same thing.
Tahini sauce is made from sesame seeds while Tzatziki sauce is a Mediterranean condiment that you often see in Greek Gyros that is made from Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon and a few other herbs.
So you see, the two sauces are quite different. Ok, now back to our Tahini sauce!
3 Ingredient Tahini Sauce
This Tahini Chicken Skewers recipe features a 3 ingredient tahini sauce that is so simple to make, that you likely won’t ever buy store bought again (although you still can if you want).
Here’s all you need to make this yummy sauce:
- Sesame seeds (I prefer hulled)
- Light Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Lemon (this is an bonus ingredient if you want to brighten it up a bit)
If you’re short on time and don’t want to make your Tahini from scratch, you can easily use store-bought Tahini Sauce to dip your chicken in!
Tahini Chicken Marinade
This dipping sauce can be used as a marinade for your chicken.
Add a squeeze of lemon into the sauce to give it a little acidity, then mix your chicken into the marinade and allow to soak up the yummy flavors for about 30 minutes.
Super easy!
Tahini Chicken Salad
If you have leftover chicken from your skewers and you’re not sure how to repurpose it, you can use the grilled chicken as a topper to your favorite salad greens along with your vegetables and use any leftover Tahini Sauce for your salad dressing.
If you don’t have leftover chicken from this particular recipe, it’s easy to make more chicken to use for a chicken salad, especially if you have leftover Tahini!
After all, the secret is the Tahini sauce!
It’s low in carbs and has such a yummy flavor that it will make your salad the best thing you’ve eaten all week!
Chicken Skewers with Vegetables
While this recipe is mainly chicken and Tahini, you can certainly add vegetables to your chicken skewers (or serve veggies on the side if you want).
Here are a few ideas for chicken skewers with vegetables:
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Zucchini or Squash
- Mushrooms
- Bell Peppers
- Pieces of corn on the cob
How Many Carbs in Tahini?
Tahini is relatively low in carbs – for one tablespoon of Tahini, it contains roughly three carbs.
Store bought varieties will differ depending on any additional ingredients that may be added.
When Can I have Tahini Sauce on the 17 Day Diet?
If you happen to be on the 17 Day Diet, you can certainly have Tahini Sauce starting on Cycle 3 when seeds (and nuts) are allowed as a healthy fat.
The serving size allowed during Cycle 3 is two tablespoons daily. This is enough to give your chicken a great flavor.
If you’re not sure which foods are allowed in Cycle 3, make sure you take a peek at my 17 Day Diet Cycle 3 Food List.
You can also check out my book on Amazon called Fast Track Your Weight Loss With the 17 Day Diet which has all the food lists (and a 7 day meal plan, too!).
Which Phase of the Kickstart Diet Can I have Tahini?
If you’re trying Dr. Mike’s newest diet, the 17 Day Kickstart Diet, you can enjoy this recipe from day 1!
What I love about the 17 Day Kickstart Diet Food List is that it has a wider variety of healthy fats such as seeds.
These seeds are introduced on day 1. This is a huge change from the original diet and I think provides much more options and flexibility right from the start.
Is Tahini Sauce Keto?
Tahini sauce can definitely be incorporated into your Keto Diet. Tahini is low in calories and has a good amount of fat and roughly 3 carbs for every Tablespoon.
How much you use will depend on your own individual macros.
Other Low Carb Kebabs
If you enjoy this recipe, consider trying out these others that are perfect for grilling weather:
Healthy Grilling Recipes for Summer
Here are a few more recipes for summer you ought to try:
If you enjoy this recipe, make sure you come back to review the recipe card below. If you’re on social media, make sure you tag me @17ddblog so I can see your Tahini Chicken Skewers!
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch chunks
- Your favorite vegetables, cut into 1-inch chunks (optional)
- Wood or metal skewers
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
For the tahini:
- 1 Cup Sesame Seeds (I prefer hulled)
- 3 Tablespoons Light-Tasting Olive Oil
- Pinch of Sea Salt, to taste
- Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
- Warm Water (optional to thin out, if needed)
Instructions
- Soak your wood skewers in water for about 30 minutes so that they don’t burn on the grill.
- Heat a large pan on medium low heat. Add sesame seeds and lightly toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constanltly until the seeds change color slightly (not browned). Transfer toasted seeds to a plate to allow them to cool.
- Add the cooled toasted seeds to a food processor and pulse until it becomes a crumbly paste-like consistency.
- Add 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil to the mixture and process it again. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the processor to ensure all the seeds get processed well.
- If you want to use fresh lemon juice, now would be the time (this will give it a bright flavor and help thin it out so you could potentially use less water or skip it all together).
- if not using lemon juice, add water, if needed, to thin out the Tahini so it becomes creamy and pourable.
- Add sea salt to the mixture and process a few more seconds to allow the salt to fully distribute into the tahini.
- Transfer Tahini to a bowl, cover and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the chicken pieces and veggies (if you’re using them) and season with 1 Tablespoon of Olive OIl and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and thread the chicken and veggies onto the wooden skewers.
- Pre-heat your grill or grill pan to medium high heat and add the chicken and veggies to the pan or gill. Rotate the meat and veggies every few minutes to ensure food is cooked evenly. You’ll cook the chicken for a total of 7 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- When finished cooking, remove from the grill and transfer to a serving dish.
- Serve chicken skewers with the Tahini sauce either as a dipping sauce in small bowls or drizzle the Tahini over the top of each skewer.
IF USING WOOD SKEWERS:
FOR THE TAHINI:
FOR THE CHICKEN SKEWERS:
Notes
Approved for:
The 17 Day Diet – Cycle 3
17 Day Kickstart Diet – All Phases
Keto Diet
Recommended Products
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I’ve been loving the 17 Day Diet since 2011. I love sharing my favorite healthy recipes and meal plans to keep you motivated and on the right path to success!
When I’m not hanging out here, I enjoy quick trips to the Oregon Coast, designing my jewelry line and watching Outlander!
Are you new to the 17 Day Diet? Check out my latest book, Fast Track Your Weight Loss With The 17 Day Diet on Amazon! (aff link)
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