I grew up in a foodie family in Amman, Jordan. My dad was a true flavor master—grinding his own spices and marinating proteins with care. In the summertime, he loved grilling on our rooftop terrace in Jabal Amman, often telling stories about his adventurous rides to the shore of Aqaba for the freshest ingredients from farmers, butchers, and fishers.

His spice blends were his pride, and my mom transformed them into unforgettable meals.

That love of bold, homegrown flavor inspired me to start Apricot Sun—and today, I’m sharing a twist on one of my favorite dishes: Chicken Kabob. In addition to Baba’s Pepper, this version includes our Chili Crisp Charcuterie Board Sauce for a fresh, fiery upgrade.

Let’s cook, taste, and celebrate the season!

-Chef Marlen Wensel

What’s in the Name?

Shish Kabob is Turkish for Grilled Skewers (Meat). Shish means Skewer, and Kabob means Grilled.

Chicken Kabob is short for Chicken Shish Kabob and means Grilled Skewered Chicken. Another common name to the dish is the popular Lebanese dish Shish Tawook. And you are right, Tawook is another word for chicken. p.s. There really are no Kabobs – Plural, only Kabob

Ingredients

The Marinade

• 2 lbs Chicken Breast- cut into ¾ inch cubes (or thighs, legs with bone in)
• 1 Onion- cut into quarters and hand crushed
• 3 Cloves Garlic- crushed
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp White Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 tbsp Chile Crisp Charcuterie Board Sauce Chili Crisp
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baba’s Pepper My Baba’s Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 2 tbsp Water

Preparation

In a bowl, mix all ingredients together minus the chicken.

Add the cubed Chicken.  Massage into the marinade and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (Optional- leave some marinade for basting).

Vegetables:  use Summer veggies like Yellow Onion, Red Peppers & Zucchini / Squash. Wash the veggies then cut into cubes of about ¾ x ¾ inches.

Skewer

If using wooden skewers: soak skewers with water to avoid excessive burning of the wood. 

If using metal skewers: spray oil to cover the skewers.

Skewer Chicken, Onion, Red Pepper, Zucchini/ Squash, then back to Chicken. Repeat 3 X.

Grill

Warm the grill.  Spray oil on skewers.  Place skewers directly on the grates.  Cook on medium-high for 4-5 minutes each side. 

With a basting brush, bast or brush on the saved marinade (optional).

Let it cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium-low temperature or until done. Make sure chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.

The marinade can also be used for whole chicken thighs/ legs, requires double the cooking time about 30 minutes.  The marinade can also be used for any protein- Beef, Shrimp, or even Tofu.

If Baking

You may choose to use the oven for baking the chicken instead of the grill.

Warm the oven to 375F.  Spray oil on shallow bake sheet/ pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Bake the chicken for about 30-45 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 165F.

Make it a Dinner

Add Aromatic Rice Pilaf as a side to turn your Chicken Kabob into a wholesome dinner. Top up the dish with Pineapple Cucumber Salad + Chili Crisp Charcuterie Board Sauce for a well-balanced amplified flavor.

Aromatic Rice Pilaf

• 3 cups Jasmine Rice
• 6 cups tap water
• 1/2 Onion medium diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic- crushed
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1 3/4 tsp Sea Salt

In a medium non-stick pot sauté the Onion for about a minute to two. Add the crushed Garlic and sautee until blond. Add the Water and Sea Salt then cover. Let the water boil. Add the Rice and stir to cover all the rice with water, no clumping. Cover the lid 3/4 cover so it won’t overflow, and let it cook for 8 minutes on Medium/ high. When the 8 minutes are up, reduce the heat to Medium and fully cover the pot. Let it cook for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour in an open container to stop the cooking. Delicious Aromatic Rice Pilaf is ready to serve!

Pineapple Cucumber Salad

• 1 Fresh pineapple
• 1 Cucumber
• 1/4 cup Champaigne Vinegar
• Dash of Olive Oil
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt (small dash)
• 1 tsp Honey or 1/2 tsp white Sugar
• 1 tbsp Chili Crisp Charcuterie Board Sauce Chili Crisp

Wash the Pineapple. Using a cutting board and knife, cut the ends off then set pineapple upright on the cutting board. Cut 1/4 inch all around then cut horizontally into 1/4-inch circles. Dice into 1/8th inches square while de-coring.

With a knife or mandolin slice the cucumber thin. In a medium bowl mix remaining ingredients to make the dressing. Add in the Pineapple, Cucumber and Parsley. Mix well together.

Plating

In a single serve plate, shape the rice using 1.5x 2 inches round mold. Fill the mold with rice then press down gently using a spoon. Pull out the mold. Add 1-2 skewers to the other side of the dish. Top up with Pineapple Cucumber Salad and extra Spicy & Saucy Charcuterie Board Sauce for plate presentation & amplified flavor.

Sahtein, to your health!

ONLINE

shipping nationwide & Canada. Free shipping to all U.S. on orders of $35 or more.

Apricotsunfoodbar.com

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Carmel

Needler’s Fresh Market 4755 126th St, Carmel, IN 46033

Niemann Harvest Market 2140 E 116th St, Carmel, IN 46032

Joe’s Butcher Shop 111 W Main St #110, Carmel, IN 46032

Indianapolis

Needler’s Fresh Market 320 N New Jersey St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Smoking Goose Meatery 407 Dorman St, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Sullivan Hardware & Garden 6955 N Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Khan’s Fine Wines & Spirits 5341 N Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Mass Ave. Wine 878 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Corridor (previously Nicole-Taylor Pasta + Market) 1134 E 54th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Leviathan Bakehouse 1101 N College Ave, Indianapolis IN 46202

Market Wagon

Sprig + Plate 3915 E 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240

Zionsville

Grapevine Cottage 61 S Main St, Zionsville, IN 46077

Brownsburg

Country Harmony Home and Garden Center 721 N Green St, Brownsburg, IN 46112

Bloomington

Bloomingfoods Co-op Market- East 3220 E 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47401

Bloomingfoods Co-op Market- West 316 W 6th St, Bloomington, IN 47404

Other Locations

Malone Made Charcuterie Franklin, IN

Alladdin- Middle Eastern Restaurant 1880 Mountain Rd suite 2, Stowe, VT 05672

Local Foods 2555 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77019

Needler’s Fresh Market, Pendleton, IN

Needler’s Fresh Market, New Palestine, IN

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Marlen Wensel’s Mediterranean homeland has an apricot sun, a globe that deepens to a glowing orange hue just before it sets. Marlen grew up under that glittering sun in Jordan, learning generational family recipes like zaatar mana’esh & modern twists like mediterranean burgers.

In Indianapolis, Marlen Wensel is the food artisan & entrepreneur behind spice brand: Apricot Sun – the first producer of Zaatar in Indiana. Emphasizing the bright, zesty flavors of the Middle East, Apricot Sun crafts small-batch spice blends and delicate sauces that are all natural, gluten-free, & sugar-free. Apricot Sun shares the gusto for heritage & food with happy customers at farmers markets, grocery stores, and local events in Indy.

Using Apricot Sun’s foundational spice varieties from thyme & sumac to fennel & sesame, Marlen’s newest creation is a Charcuterie Board Sauce, available in retail jars at your local grocer and in larger quantity tubs for restaurants & food service. Elevating the flavor of cheeses & meats on charcuterie boards around the nation, it’s quickly becoming a staple for local home chefs, butcher shops, & culinary classes. Innovative partnerships with chefs, retailers & distributors nationwide enable Apricot Sun to showcase a Mediterranean depth of flavor and provide a zesty essence to your fondest memories under the apricot sun.

An easy way to flavor veggies is by simply adding Charcuterie board sauce, any of the 4 flavors. You can coat the veggies with the sauce and bake for 15-20 minutes. If you enjoy a spicy kick then Spicy & Saucy charcuterie board sauce is perfect for you!

This recipe has a few other ingredients, giving it extra dimension. It is my variation on Diane Unger’s- Milk Street Magazine. We tried it at home and absolutely love it! Thanks Barbara Wilder for letting me borrow your treasured magazines where I found this new favorite!

The sauce is prepped in a bowl and added to the florets before roasting. I substituted the hot sauce with Spicy & Saucy Charcuterie Board Sauce, which made for an even more intense and layered flavor. I added a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to complement the nutty tahini flavor.

Tahini and lemon juice add texture and nutty lemony flavors to any dish. The Charcuterie Board Sauce is rich in Olive Oil and adds herbaceous notes from the thyme and nutty notes from the toasted sesame. This concentrated coating is bold and perfect! Sahtain- to your health!

Ingredients

1 tbsp Spicy & Saucy Charcuterie board sauce (or any other flavor) click here

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp tahini, plus more to serve

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

a dash of My Baba’s Pepper click here

2- to 2 ½ -pound head cauliflower, trimmed, cored and cut into 1 ½ -to 2-inch florets

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 tsp Spicy Zaatar seasoning

• Heat the oven to 450F with a rack in the middle position.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray generously with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, mix together the Charcuterie board sauce, tomato paste, oil, tahini, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons water.  Coat one cauliflower at a time by holding from the stem and dipping in the mixture. Place on baking sheet with the cut side down as much as possible. Spray the florets lightly with oil. Roast without stirring until tender and lightly charred, 20-25 minutes.  For crispier doneness roast for 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the cilantro, HOT Zaatar seasoning, and lemon zest. When the cauliflower is done, transfer to a platter, then sprinkle with the cilantro-Zaatar-zest mixture.  Serve with lemon wedges and additional tahini for drizzling.

Toasted whole wheat pita wedges take the place of fried white pita bread in this recipe, and they’re topped with a powerhouse combo of chickpeas, veggies, and a tahini green goodness dressing.

Two things make this recipe stand out: the crispy roasted chickpeas, which are seasoned with Zaatar spice blend and cumin, and the addition of a great, herbaceous sauce! Recipe compliments of The Full Helping.

Ingredients

• 2 large or 4 mini whole wheat pitas about 4 ounces total, cut into wedges, or 2-3 cups pita chips of choice
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas home-cooked, or 1 can, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 tablespoon Zaatar spice blend Shop
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt + freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups peeled and chopped cucumber
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 batch Tahini Green Goodness Dressing

Tahini Green Goodness Dressing

• 1/4 cup Tahini
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons agave or maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 green onion, top on
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Blend all dressing ingredients together in a powerful blender or a food processor till smooth.

Preparation

• Preheat your oven to 400F. Place the pita chips on one lined baking sheet. Toss the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the Zaatar spice, and the cumin. Place the chickpeas on another lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer both sheets to the oven. Bake the pita chips for 5-7 minutes, or until they’re crispy at the edges (check them at 5 minutes to be sure they don’t burn). Bake the chickpeas for 30-35 minutes, or until they’re crispy and golden.
• While the chickpeas and pita are baking, toss the cucumbers, tomato, lettuce, parsley, and mint together with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, the red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, layer the pita chips in a large tray. Layer the cucumber and tomato salad on top, followed by the roasted chickpeas. Drizzle the whole tray generously with Tahini Green Goodness Dressing or your dressing of choice. Sprinkle with Zaatar spice blend for additional zest & serve. Sahtain, To Your Health!

You can watch the talk here:

Indiana Grown: Apricot Sun

Ingredients

• 2 lb Meat (turkey, ground beef, seitan)
  1-1.25 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp ‘My Baba’s Pepper’ https://apricotsunfoodbar.com/shop/
• 2 tbsp Breadcrumbs (thick ones are recommended, can be gluten-free)
• ½ Onion (medium sized, diced)
• ½ bunch parsley (diced)
• Apricot Sun Zaatar Spread (Original or HOT)
• 1 lb Pasta
• 1 jar Red tomato sauce (Marinara or Basil)
• 1/4 cup Shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Preparation

• Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
• Cut out an aluminum sheet and lay it flat, or use a cutting board dedicated for handling. meats.  Use gloves for raw meat handling (optional). 
• Cut another aluminum sheet and lay on top of a baking pan.  Spray with spray oil. 
• In a small bowl mix the spices- salt, My Baba’s Pepper & breadcrumbs.
• Peel, wash,  & dice onion- medium to fine dice.
• Bunch, wash & dice parsley- medium dice.
• Glove hands (optional).
• Place the ground beef on aluminum sheet or cutting board.
• Add all prepped ingredients- spices, onion and parsley.
• Mix and incorporate all ingredients with the meat until evenly distributed.
• Divide the meat into medium size pieces- about 1.5-2 tbsp.
• Bowl the meat and set on the baking pan.
• Remove gloves & wash hands.  Place all raw meat items in trash, sink.  Wash the preparation area promptly.
• Cook at 350F for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 155F for beef or 165F for turkey or chicken.  Broil at 400F for 2 minutes- till golden brown. 
• Using a spoon mix the Zaatar Spread in the jar evenly.
• Dish pasta, meatballs, red tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, then drizzle about a tablespoon of Zaatar Spread (Original or HOT) for a flavorful Mediterranean topping!

Mana’esh are the perfect make-ahead appetizer, snack, or even brunch!

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE PREPARATION

• Spray olive oil lightly onto a baking sheet.  
• Place Naan or Flatbread, home-made or ready dough- depending on what you have available.
• Open the Zaatar Spread jar and stir until the herbs, spices & olive oil are evenly mixed.
• Spoon about 2-3 tbsp or enough to cover the bread or dough generously. Keep about ¼ inch of crust.
• If using dough:
  • Press on the dough with the tips of fingers to make indentations or marks for the Zaatar Spread to settle in.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 420F.
  • Place the dough with Zaatar Spread on the middle rack.
  • Bake for 6-7 minutes or until the dough is slightly browned on the bottom and edges.
  • Move to top rack for 1-2 minutes of until lightly browned.
  • Pull the flatbread out of the over.
  • Zaatar spread will remain liquid at this point. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes, the Zaatar topping will dry and settle into dough. 
• If using Naan or pre-baked Flatbread:
  • Spread a generous amount of Zaatar Spread.
  • Bake at 350F for 5-6 minutes or just enough to warm. 
• Top with diced tomatoes, any of your favorite cheese, and fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional).
• Cut into pieces with a knife or pizza cutter.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. Sahtein! (to your health)

Just had Zaatar Mana’esh at Broad Ripple Farmers Market and it was beyond! Will definitely be back for more in the near future!

Lisa Freeman- happy customer

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 1kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and chopped
• 3 cardamom seeds, lightly crushed
• ¼ tsp cinnamon, ground
• Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1.5 litres of Apricot Sun chicken bone broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Apricot Sun Zaatar
• ½ tsp sesame seeds
• ¼ tsp sumac
• 1 tsp dried thyme, marjoram, oregano
• Good pinch of sea salt

RECIPE PREPARATION

1. Heat the oil in a pot and add the onion, garlic and celery. Saute over a low heat for 10 minutes.  
2. Add the pumpkin and the cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the bone broth, cover with a lid and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat and lower temperature to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
4. When the pumpkin is tender, blend until smooth and velvety.  Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
5. Serve the soup with a teaspoon of zaatar condiment and a drizzle of tahini  on top. Sahtein! (to your health)