Happy First Day of Summer! – the perfect time to fire-up your grill and enjoy some fun in the sun over a delicious, healthy meal.
These easy-to-make chicken kebobs are a delicious way to celebrate the tropical flavors of summer and spend less time in the kitchen too! That’s because you can pre-make the kebobs and refrigerate them up to three days in advance, so they’re ready to go on the grill whenever you’re ready for the party to begin.
And whether you’re a novice, or veteran griller, be sure to check out my Top 10 Best Grilling Tips for some secrets of success that are certain to take your grilled foods to a whole new level of excellence!
Remember your “mise en place” – preparing the barbecue glaze and precutting all the ingredients in advance, makes putting these kebobs together a snap! If using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in warm water while you’re preparing the rest of the ingredients. That way, everything is ready for you to begin the kebob-making process.
If you have children, get them involved (with careful supervision, of course) – kids love to thread ingredients onto skewers. And it’s a great tactic for getting those picky eaters to try something new, since kids are more likely to try a food that they’ve helped to make! This is just one of many reasons why getting your Kids in the Kitchen is such a blessing!
When you’re ready to eat, simply fire-up the grill and get ready for an amazingly sweet-n-spicy way to celebrate summer with your family and friends!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic all-fruit apricot preserves
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp coconut aminos (or organic soy sauce)
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (use more if you like it extra spicy!)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1.25 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 fresh pineapple, cubed
- 1 large red pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 bunch of scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Sweet & Spicy Glaze ingredients – apricot preserves, garlic, olive oil, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), dry mustard, cayenne pepper and salt. (The sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week, or kept in freezer for up to a month – defrost in frig overnight when ready to use.)
- Cut kebob ingredients into cubes/pieces that can be easily thread onto a skewer. Be sure to keep the chicken chunks to about 2x2-inches in size, so they’ll cook evenly along with the veggies. Speaking of which, feel free to add additional veggies as well – organic zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, red onion are all great options! (Also note, you can make the kebobs in advance and keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- When ready to eat, preheat grill to medium heat making sure grill is thoroughly preheated before you begin grilling. Cook kebobs uncovered over medium heat about 2-3 minutes. Then carefully turn the kebobs over and generously brush the upturned side with the Sweet & Spicy Glaze.
- Continue cooking the kebobs for about another 2 minutes. Then turn them over again, generously brushing the upturned side with glaze. Cook about one minute more, and turn the kebobs a final time and brush with the remaining glaze. Turn off the grill and cover for about a minute to allow the glaze to set and chicken to finish cooking through. Serve with a side of baja-style cilantro rice and grilled plantains.
- Please note: Since grill temperatures can vary dramatically, be sure to keep a close eye on your kebobs. If the chicken or veggies start to get too dark before they’re cooked through, turn down the heat to low and move the kebobs to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking. Or turn off the grill and cover the kebobs, until chicken is cooked through.
