• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Culinary Cool

Regina Food and Travel Blogger

  • Home
  • Start Here!
  • Recipes
  • Bucket List
  • Contact

Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus

June 9, 2020 by Nicole 20 Comments

Pin
Share
Tweet
Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus | Culinary Cool #thinkturkey

Skewers of tender, flavourful turkey served with lemony asparagus is perfect for grilling all spring and well into summer. This crispy spiedini is perfect as an appetizer, with a gorgeous salad, or served as the main course – no matter what, it’s sure to please.

This recipe and post are sponsored by Turkey Farmers of Canada.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus | Culinary Cool

Despite it being the beginning, spring has just arrived here on the prairies. The trees are finally budding, we’ve had a few hot days (I’ve been tempted to turn the air conditioning on) and I’m about to spend the next 3 months outside on my patio. The kiddo is completely sick of being inside, so much so, that she cries every time we head into the living room. It’s time for a change of scenery. That means hanging out in the backyard, plenty of time in the pool and al fresco dining.

Al fresco dining for us means BBQ everything and cooking with whatever is in season. When I think of spring vegetables, asparagus is at the top of the list. For me, nothing beats roasted or grilled asparagus, with a little butter and lemon. It’s bright, fresh and super simple, which is what I need these days with a busy toddler clinging to me.

When it comes to BBQ, I instantly think of the OG (original gourmet) kebab – a bunch of ingredients tucked onto a wooden skewer where one will surely catch fire. The OG Italian version of the kebab is the spiedini, which is noticeably different in that it lacks vegetables. It can be made with your protein of choice, and in the name of variety, I’ve chosen to make mine with lean turkey breast.  Not only is turkey a family favourite, but it’s a great everyday protein option because it goes with just about everything. The flavour options are virtually endless, but in keeping things light and fresh, this spiedini features lots of lemon, herbs, and fresh spring asparagus.

Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus | Culinary Cool

What you’re going to need:

Turkey Breast – thinly sliced or cut into cubes. Do your best to ensure all the pieces are uniform. Boneless skinless thighs can also be used.

Dry White Wine – wine is the traditional option, but honestly, I hardly ever have any on hand, so just sub in some poultry or vegetable stock instead.

Breadcrumbs – Panko is the crumb of choice for me because of it’s crispy, crunchy texture, but regular Italian-style breadcrumbs work just fine, too. If you want to keep things gluten-free, you don’t have to bread the turkey at all, just marinate, skewer and grill.

Red Pepper Flakes – totally optional, as they add a little heat to the speidini, which I happen to love. Not a fan of spice? Just leave them out, no problema!

Lemon Juice – Do yourself a favour and use fresh lemon juice.  It really does make a difference.

Skewers – If you’re going to use wooden skewers, soak those suckers in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling.  Better yet, invest in some metal skewers – no soaking required, and you can use them forever.

Asparagus – Bonus points if you can find locally grown asparagus. When picking your bunch, look for bright green and firm spears with closed, firm tips (you do not want mushy tips, as this is an indicator the asparagus is going bad). In the fall when asparagus is no longer available, zucchini works as a great alternative, but you can serve the spiedini with any vegetable you like.

These tender and juicy turkey spiedini are fun to prepare and even more fun to eat. Throw them on the grill alongside some spring asparagus, and top everything off with a quick lemon pepper butter sauce and you’re in business. These work great as an appetizer (without the asparagus) or as the whole meal. No matter how you serve it, these turkey spiedini are bound to be a hit.

Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus | Culinary Cool

5 from 8 votes
Print

Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus

Skewers of tender, flavourful turkey served with lemony asparagus is perfect for grilling all spring and well into summer. This crispy spiedini is perfect as an appetizer, with a gorgeous salad, or served as the main course – no matter what, it’s sure to please.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Asparagus, Lemon Butter, Turkey
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless turkey breast
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or poultry stock
  • 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced about 1 tbsp full
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 bunch of asparagus* see note
  • 2 tsp olive oil

Breading

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Lemon Butter Sauce

  • 5 tbsp salted butter
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Skewers for grilling

Instructions

  1. If using wooden skewers, soak them for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling.
  2. Slice the turkey into thin strips, or chunks, making sure they are of uniform size.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together wine or stock, lemon juice, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic slices, red pepper flakes (if using) and salt.
  4. Add the turkey to the bowl and toss to coat. Allow the turkey to marinate for at least a half hour, or up to two hours.
  5. In a shallow dish, mix together breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, fresh pepper and grated parmesan.
  6. Coat each piece of turkey in the breadcrumb mixture, then thread onto a skewer.
  7. To grill, place skewers on a medium-hot grill for about 2-3 minutes per side. You should only need to turn them once. Alternatively, you can bake these in the oven. See tip below.
  8. Meanwhile, trim the asparagus and toss lightly in the oil and grill alongside the turkey spiedini until desired doneness. I like my asparagus to still be a little firm.
  9. When ready to serve, in a small saucepan, melt butter with the lemon juice and pepper.
  10. To serve, drizzle 2-3 tsp of the lemon pepper butter sauce over the turkey and asparagus.

Recipe Notes

Asparagus – one serving of asparagus is generally considered to be about 3 oz.

Baking the skewers: If you don’t want to grill them, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil, and then place a metal cooling rack or grate on top of the baking sheet. Lay the turkey spiedini on the grate or cooling rack to bake. This will make sure all sides are crispy. If you bake it directly on the sheet, the bottom will not get crispy. Bake for 10-15 mins (depending on the size you cut the turkey) or until internal temperature is 165 degreed F.

Pin
Share
Tweet

Filed Under: The Main Course Tagged With: asparagus, asparagus with chicken, asparagus with turkey, bbq turkey, chicken spiedini, Italian Spiedini, lemon asparagus, lemon sauce, Spiedini, spring asparagus, turkey kebabs, turkey skewers

Previous Post: « Turkey Kielbasa and Cheddar Rolled Omelet
Next Post: You Are My Sunshine First Birthday »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. veenaazmanov

    June 12, 2020 at 9:27 am

    5 stars
    love such flavorful and creative ideas. Best for a party planning. I just want this platter.

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:03 pm

      Thanks Veena!

      Reply
  2. Amy

    June 12, 2020 at 10:14 am

    5 stars
    I also automatically think of kebabs when I think of BBQ! But I love cooking anything outside in the summer (especially since we get so little summer to enjoy here in Ohio!), and am always on the lookout for fun new recipes to try. This looks like my next adventure — it looks totally delicious, and I’m so excited to try it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      We have super short summers, too! Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Tara

    June 12, 2020 at 10:18 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is such a fresh take on summer BBQ! I love the addition of the lemon juice. It adds such a surprising element to the dish. Great flavors!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:06 pm

      Thanks Tara. The lemony sauce might just be my favourite simple sauce ever!

      Reply
  4. Paige

    June 13, 2020 at 6:13 am

    5 stars
    What a cute and creative presentation this is! And It sounds delicious too! These would be great on a buffet!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:07 pm

      Thanks Paige! It would definitely be perfect for feeding a crowd.

      Reply
  5. Paula Montenegro

    June 13, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    5 stars
    I hadn’t heard of spiedini and now I’m dying to try it! I can imagine the crunchiness from the panko and so much flavor from the marinade. Love this recipe!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:08 pm

      The marinade is so simple but adds tremendous flavour!

      Reply
  6. Nicole

    June 13, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    The perfect snack and what a great way to make something delicious with turkey, which can be difficult.

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:08 pm

      You can use turkey as a substitute for chicken in pretty much any recipe!

      Reply
  7. Monica | Nourish + Fete

    June 14, 2020 at 10:09 am

    5 stars
    This is such a fun and unique thing to grill – perfect for changing it up in the summer! And the flavors are divine with the asparagus and lemon wedges – light and flavorful!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:11 pm

      Thanks Monica! Spiedini is definitely unique, but perfect to switch things up.

      Reply
  8. Heidy

    June 14, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    5 stars
    Turkey Spiedini with Lemon Sauce and Asparagus is my new favorite dinner recipe. It was wonderfully flavorful and really delish. this recipe is a keeper for sure.

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:11 pm

      Thanks Heidy. Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  9. Sam

    June 14, 2020 at 11:58 pm

    This plate looks amazing and so perfect for summer. I am so excited for bbq season. Always looking for new dishes to make.

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:13 pm

      I live for bbq season! It’s so short, you gotta make it count! This dish is perfect for it!

      Reply
  10. Natalie

    June 15, 2020 at 7:06 am

    5 stars
    What a fun and delicious family dinner idea. I absolutely love how easy this is… and healthy. I will definitely make this soon. Thanks for this lovely recipe!

    Reply
    • mmNicole

      June 17, 2020 at 9:13 pm

      Thanks Natalie, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

meetnicole

I'm Nicole, a cookbook addict, cooking school instructor, travel junkie, and lover of all things sweet.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates and to hear what's going on with Culinary Cool!

A Few of My Favourites!

Small white plate with a tower of chocolate cookies on top. Each chocolate cookie is half dipped in white chocolate with sprinkles. Two cups of hot chocolate and marshmallows in background
Cranberry Bliss Cookies | Culinary Cool www.culinary-cool.com
Peppermint Mocha Shortbread Cookies | Culinary Cool www.culinary-cool.com
White Chocolate Lentil Cookies | Culinary Cool www.culinary-cool.com
Certified Yummly Recipes on Yummly.com my foodgawker gallery

Archives

Categories

Copyright © 2021 Culinary Cool · Log in