WHAT IS IT WITH GRILLING AND SUMMER?!
Is it the food? The time outdoors? The smell of the food cooking as it wafts overhead? I think it’s all of those things. They all come together to make grilling an indispensable part of summer.
Speaking of fab and tasty grilled meals, we just had to share these Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs with you this week because they’re a perfect addition to any BBQ in the summer. They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner and can be prepped ahead by chopping all the veggies and pineapple and mixing up the marinade. They cal also become your new go-to recipe for entertaining as they’re simple and they look great piled on a platter on the picnic table and served with fresh salads and veggie sides.
You can totally switch up the veggies to use what you’ve got to hand or what’s in season.
Some great summer veggies and fruits for kebabs include:
Zucchini, butternut squash, red onion, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, lightly steamed Brussels sprouts, jicama, precooked whole baby red potatoes, bell peppers, precooked corn-on-the cob (slices about 2 inches thick), peaches, plums, nectarines and mango.
3 RULES FOR PERFECT KEBABS
Keep all of the pieces (chicken, veggies and fruit) about the same size so that everything can come into contact with the grill and get a little char on the edges (because grill marks are the hallmark of grilled/BBQ’d food).
Avoid vegetables like potatoes, winter squash, carrots, corn on the cob and sweet potatoes unless you precook them a bit first.
Don’t skip the marinade. It’s tempting to skip the marinade and just brush it over the kebabs right before they hit the grill but you’ll get such better flavour and more tender meat if you allow the meat to marinate at least a little while. For this recipe I’ve found that just 20-30 minutes is enough to infuse the meat with sweet and salty teriyaki goodness but you can also marinate it for longer (up to 4 hours).
SERVES 4
TOTAL COOK TIME = 40 mins
PREP TIME = 25 mins
Per Serving (without any sides) =
262 Cals | Fat 6g | Carbs 21g | Protein 27g
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks (about ½ of small pineapple)
1 large bell pepper, any colour, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Teriyaki Marinade
¼ cup coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. water
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. dried ground ginger
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
Metal or Wood skewers
METHOD
In a small bowl, whisk to combine all ingredients. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate while you prep the vegetables and pineapple and the grill preheats.
Preheat grill to medium-high direct heat.
Thread meat, pineapple, peppers and onions onto skewers – alternating as you go.
Brush leftover marinade over the kebabs.
Grill over medium-high direct heat, turning every 5 minutes or so until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Remove from grill and serve.