Herb-Marinated Chicken Skewers with Harissa

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 roasted red peppers from a jar, coarsely chopped
• 1 red Thai chile, with seeds chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt
• Hummus, for serving

Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, mix the olive oil with the rosemary, thyme, oregano and ground cumin. Add the chicken and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Meanwhile, Make the Harissa: In a small skillet, toast the cumin, coriander and caraway seeds over moderately high heat, shaking the skillet a few times, until the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool completely. Grind to a powder.
3. In a blender, combine the roasted peppers with the chile, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and ground spices and puree. Season the harissa with salt.
4. Light a grill. Thread the chicken pieces onto 8 metal skewers. Season with salt and grill over moderately high heat, turning, until nicely charred and just cooked, about 14 minutes. Serve the skewers with the harissa and hummus.