Spicy Chicken and Zucchini Kebabs
You guys know me loves me a good kebab.
I don't know why eating food on a stick is so dope, but it is.
I'm always amazed at how versatile kebabs are and how they always manage to stretch whatever I'm cooking.
It must have something to do with surface area and spatial relations. When food is served on a stick, it just seems like there is more of it.
Take this for example: You can feed 3 to 4 people from one chicken breast; but if you cube it and skewer onto sticks it’s enough for 6 hungry adults.
Which is also proof that we eat more with our eyes than we actually do with our stomachs.
Because the amount of meat is exactly the same, if you know what I mean...
When it comes to chicken, I’m always amazed that I can find - and fall in love with - new marinades. I mean, how many variations can you really have and call it awesome?
Teriyaki glazed, Key West spicy, Spicy turmeric, are some of the most successful recipes on the blog to date.
But clearly, I still feel like there’s room for growth in this area.
I was riding on high hopes for this cilantro+mint+lemon+chili marinade with the add-on of zucchini. And it delivered big time. Comments like “This is the best chicken ever” and “I’ll give you good money for the last kebab” were heard around the dinner table last night.
This marinade has an awesome kick to it which works perfectly with the cool, crunchy zucchini.
If you're cooking for a load of friends, or for a party, these kebabs will do the trick. They are so easy to make and bursting with flavor.
But since it’s holidays season, why not making smaller kebabs and serve them as finger food or appetizers? A total crowd pleaser.
Adapted from Jamie’s Kitchen
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 lb / 453 gr high welfare boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 (or 2) zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
Marinade
A large handful of fresh cilantro
A large handful of fresh mint
1 clove garlic
3 scallions (or 1 medium onion), roughly chopped
1 red chili (or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes)
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Place all marinade ingredients (but olive oil) in a blender (or food processor) and pulse until a smooth paste forms. Add olive oil and mix well.
In a shallow sealable container or in a large Ziploc bag, combine chicken cubes and marinade.
Cover or seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (1 hour or longer for fullest flavor.)
Remove the chicken from the marinade and skewer onto bamboo sticks (or metal sticks), weaving the zucchini strips in between the chicken pieces.
Heat a grill or a grill pan to medium-low heat (if you’re using an outdoor grill lightly oil the grill grates.)
I strongly recommend low-temperature cooking so that the marinade can glaze without burning black.
Cook the kebabs, until cooked through, about 10 - 12 minutes turning regularly, until juices run clear.
Transfer to a platter and serve.
Nutrition facts
One serving yields 174 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs and 24 grams of protein.
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