Frigărui de Pui
Frigărui de Pui·(free-gə-ROOY de POOY)
Sunday Grătar: The Romanian Backyard BBQ
If you grew up in a Romanian-American household, the smell of rendering chicken fat hitting hot charcoal and the sharp bite of garlic is the smell of a perfect Sunday. These skewers are the vibrant, vegetable-packed cousins to the heavier pork barbecue meats, optimized here for a weeknight grill pan by swapping dry chicken breast for forgiving thighs. The secret to making them taste exactly like a backyard in Bucharest lies in one specific herb: dried summer savory, which translation dictionaries have stubbornly and incorrectly called thyme for decades. Buy a jar of true summer savory and instantly transport yourself home.
Before you start
Soak the skewers.
If using wooden bamboo skewers, submerge them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before grilling so they do not incinerate over the heat.
Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken thighs1 1/2 lb
- olive oil3 tbsp
- fresh lemon juice3 tbsp
- garlic cloves4 large
- sweet paprika1 tbsp
- dried summer savory1 tbsp
- coarse kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- red onion1 large
- bell peppers2 large
- zucchini1 med
- garlic cloves4 med
- coarse kosher salt1/2 tsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- sour cream1/2 cup
- fresh lemon juice1 tsp
Method
- 01
Marinate the chicken.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 4 crushed garlic cloves, sweet paprika, summer savory, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and black pepper. Toss the cubed chicken until fully coated, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- 02
Make the creamy mujdei.
While the chicken marinates, smash the 4 peeled garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt into a sticky paste in a mortar and pestle. Slowly drip in the 2 tablespoons of neutral oil, stirring vigorously and continuously until emulsified into a thick mayonnaise-like paste, then fold in the sour cream and 1 teaspoon lemon juice and refrigerate.
- 03
Assemble the frigărui.
Thread the ingredients onto the soaked skewers, alternating between a piece of chicken, red onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. Leave a microscopic bit of breathing room between the pieces so the heat can circulate and char everything evenly rather than steaming them.
- 04
Grill the skewers.
Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot and slightly smoking, then lightly brush with oil. Cook the skewers in batches for 3 to 5 minutes per side, rotating until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables boast beautiful black char marks.
- 05
Serve immediately.
Transfer the hot skewers to a platter and serve alongside the cold garlic sauce for dipping.
Notes
Mind the clock on the marinade.
Do not leave the chicken in this marinade for more than two hours. The highly acidic lemon juice will chemically cook the meat, resulting in a chalky, tough texture when grilled.
The translation trap of cimbru.
For decades, dictionaries have told Romanian-Americans that cimbru means thyme. It does not. True Romanian cimbru is summer savory, possessing a distinct peppery, piney bite. If you absolutely cannot find it, substitute 2 teaspoons of dried thyme mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano.
From Cook Romanian in America.