Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables

Ah the Kabob.  Or is it Sish-Kabob? Or meat on a Skewer? Whatever you call it, putting food on a stick is likely as old as fire itself.  And there’s a reason the technique has lasted so long.  Not only do kabob’s taste delicious, they can be the grilling equivalent of a one pot meal.  Here I show you how to make simple grilled chicken kabobs with some summer vegetables.  Both the chicken and veggies pick up some beautiful color from the grill, as well as that smoky, charred flavor.  Not only simple to make, but these kabobs are easy to modify, if you’d prefer shrimp, fish, pork, or beef for the protein, go for it….and it’s even easier to swap out different veggies. Hope you enjoy!

Keys For the Best Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables

1. I grew up with a kabob that alternated between pieces of meat and veggies – which makes for a great presentation. But the reality is, chicken and vegetables cook at different rates, and so I prefer to make separate kabobs for them.  You may even want to group the veggies by type
2. Use vegetables that have a wide range of colors for a vibrant presentation
3. Make sure to use a very hot grill so you get a good sear on both the chicken & veggies.  That sear brings for added flavor and texture.
4. Cut your meat and vegetables into pieces which are roughly the same size so they cook at the same pace

Ingredients for Chicken Kabobs

• 2 chicken breasts cut into 1 – 2 inch pieces
• 1 large red onion
• 1 green zucchini
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• ~5 large crimini mushrooms halved or quartered
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• Juice of one lemon
• 4 – 5 springs of rosemary coarsely chopped
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt & Pepper

How to Make Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables

• Cut the chicken into large (1 – 2 inch) pieces and add to a gallon zip lock bag
• Add the garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, paprika and a few glugs of olive oil to the bag and toss to coat.
• Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 1- 8 hours
• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about an hour before making the kabobs
• Take the chicken out of the fridge and put on the skewers, with each piece touching the next and just a bit of room at the end of the skewer left to hold on to
• Once done, season all sides with salt and pepper
• Make the vegetable skewers by cutting the vegetables into bite size pieces, and alternating them on the skewers.
• Drizzle all the kabobs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Pre-heat your grill until it’s very hot
• Start the vegetables skewers first; surprising to some, they will actually take a bit longer than the chicken
• Lay them down on the grill, and let them cook for 4 – 5 minutes; then turn them over; they should be lightly charred on the cooked side
• Once you’ve turned the veggies, add the chicken skewers to the grill and let them sear. Leave the chicken alone for 4 – 5 minutes, with the grill covered
• After five minutes the chicken should be seared with nice grill marks, turn them over to sear the second side
• If the vegetables are ready (cooked your liking) you can move them to a cooler part of the grill, or continue to cook them, turning them over again…I like too cook them about 4 minutes longer than the chicken. 
• After 5 minutes on the second side, the chicken should be cooked through and you can remove both chicken and vegetables from the grill
• Allow the chicken to rest for about 2 – 3 minutes before serving, and enjoy!