Fabulous Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Recipe: Fabulous Grilled Chicken Kebabs
From: Cook's Illustrated, July/August 1998
Serves: 4-6
1/2 c. olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
6 cloves garlic, minced (ca. 2 Tbsp.)
1/4 c. snipped fresh chives, minced fresh basil, parsley, tarragon, oregano, cilantro, or mint leaves, OR 2 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme or rosemary
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
1-1/2 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
3-6 c. vegetables and/or fruit (see note)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 fresh lemon or lime (optional)
Cut chicken into 1-1/2 inch chunks. Mix marinade ingredients and chicken in gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag; seal bag and refrigerate, turning once or twice, for a minimum of 3 hours, up to 24 hours. Or use a glass or ceramic bowl; stir several times while marinating.
Build a medium-low fire in grill (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 5 seconds), or heat gas grill to medium-low.
Meanwhile, coat vegetables and/or fruit by tossing in medium bowl with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables/fruit onto skewers, mixing to create a nice appearance. Using double skewers - two bamboo skewers parallel about 1/4 inch apart - makes turning much easier!
Grill, turning each kebab one quarter turn every 2 minutes, until chicken and vegetables/fruit are lightly browned and meat is fully cooked, about 8 minutes total for white meat and 9 minutes total for dark meat. Check for doneness by cutting into one piece when it looks opaque on all sides. Remove when there is no pink in the center and serve immediately, with fresh lemon or lime juice squeezed over if desired.
Notes:
Good choices of vegetables/fruit are zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, apples, pears, and pineapple, cut into approx. 1-inch squares or cubes (cut eggplant a bit smaller; onions work best separated into slices, or they don't cook enough). Use whatever vegetables/fruits seem to go with your marinade choice, e.g. zucchini, eggplant, and onion with the Middle Eastern one. My standard selection is peppers, zucchini, onions and mushrooms.
Following my sister's lead, I like to serve this over fresh hot jasmine rice that has had minced fresh parsley and chives stirred into it. Lemon juice is good over the Middle Eastern and Caribbean variations; lime juice with the Southwestern one.
I've tried the Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Southwestern, and Asian marinade variations (below), and liked them all, the first 2 especially well. The Southwestern is also good - it is a bit like fajitas, and is good served with tortillas. I like to slide all the food off the skewers into a bowl when they're done for ease of serving.
Cutting the chicken so large helps keep it tender, not dried out. Adding lemon/lime only at the end avoids having the acid in the marinade itself which can chemically cook the chicken and make it mushy. This amount of marinade really needs to be used for this amount of chicken - I tried with rather less once and it was very salty.
These marinades are also good on bone-in chicken - marinate overnight in the fridge and then bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through. This is actually as good or better leftover, since the marinade continues to penetrate and flavor the chicken after cooking.
Variations:
Curry Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or mint leaves and adding 1 teaspoon curry powder.
Caribbean Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves and adding 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Middle Eastern Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh mint or parsley, alone or in combination, and adding 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
Southwestern Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves, decreasing salt to 1/2 teaspoon, and adding 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 medium chile, such as jalapeno, seeded and minced.
Asian Marinade
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 small garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 piece (about 1-inch) fresh ginger root, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 medium scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
From: Cook's Illustrated, July/August 1998
Serves: 4-6
1/2 c. olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
6 cloves garlic, minced (ca. 2 Tbsp.)
1/4 c. snipped fresh chives, minced fresh basil, parsley, tarragon, oregano, cilantro, or mint leaves, OR 2 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme or rosemary
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
1-1/2 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
3-6 c. vegetables and/or fruit (see note)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 fresh lemon or lime (optional)
Cut chicken into 1-1/2 inch chunks. Mix marinade ingredients and chicken in gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag; seal bag and refrigerate, turning once or twice, for a minimum of 3 hours, up to 24 hours. Or use a glass or ceramic bowl; stir several times while marinating.
Build a medium-low fire in grill (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 5 seconds), or heat gas grill to medium-low.
Meanwhile, coat vegetables and/or fruit by tossing in medium bowl with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables/fruit onto skewers, mixing to create a nice appearance. Using double skewers - two bamboo skewers parallel about 1/4 inch apart - makes turning much easier!
Grill, turning each kebab one quarter turn every 2 minutes, until chicken and vegetables/fruit are lightly browned and meat is fully cooked, about 8 minutes total for white meat and 9 minutes total for dark meat. Check for doneness by cutting into one piece when it looks opaque on all sides. Remove when there is no pink in the center and serve immediately, with fresh lemon or lime juice squeezed over if desired.
Notes:
Good choices of vegetables/fruit are zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, apples, pears, and pineapple, cut into approx. 1-inch squares or cubes (cut eggplant a bit smaller; onions work best separated into slices, or they don't cook enough). Use whatever vegetables/fruits seem to go with your marinade choice, e.g. zucchini, eggplant, and onion with the Middle Eastern one. My standard selection is peppers, zucchini, onions and mushrooms.
Following my sister's lead, I like to serve this over fresh hot jasmine rice that has had minced fresh parsley and chives stirred into it. Lemon juice is good over the Middle Eastern and Caribbean variations; lime juice with the Southwestern one.
I've tried the Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Southwestern, and Asian marinade variations (below), and liked them all, the first 2 especially well. The Southwestern is also good - it is a bit like fajitas, and is good served with tortillas. I like to slide all the food off the skewers into a bowl when they're done for ease of serving.
Cutting the chicken so large helps keep it tender, not dried out. Adding lemon/lime only at the end avoids having the acid in the marinade itself which can chemically cook the chicken and make it mushy. This amount of marinade really needs to be used for this amount of chicken - I tried with rather less once and it was very salty.
These marinades are also good on bone-in chicken - marinate overnight in the fridge and then bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through. This is actually as good or better leftover, since the marinade continues to penetrate and flavor the chicken after cooking.
Variations:
Curry Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or mint leaves and adding 1 teaspoon curry powder.
Caribbean Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves and adding 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Middle Eastern Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh mint or parsley, alone or in combination, and adding 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
Southwestern Marinade
Follow Master Recipe, using 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves, decreasing salt to 1/2 teaspoon, and adding 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 medium chile, such as jalapeno, seeded and minced.
Asian Marinade
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 small garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 piece (about 1-inch) fresh ginger root, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 medium scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.