Barbecued Chicken Kabobs

I am sneaking a Labor Day recommendation in on you. If you’re grilling out, I must say, you won’t be disappointed with these Barbecue Chicken Kabobs. When I saw the recipe floating around among some of my favorite blogs, I knew it had to be good.

And these days, are the best of days – enjoying the joys of fall while still grasping on to the best of summer, like the grill.

The original recipe called for refrigerating the chicken pieces in 2 teaspoons of salt. I omitted this step, which not only cut out a lot of sodium, but it also made this dinner a simple, 20-minute, healthy meal.

Dine with napkins, and plenty of them…these are finger-licking, sticky good.

[print_this]

Barbecued Chicken Kabobs adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, via Pink Parsley and Elly Says Opa

Kabobs:
5 skewers
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp sweet paprika
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 slices turkey bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.

Mix the paprikas, sugar, and cayenne in a small bowl. Process the bacon in a small food processor, until a smooth paste forms, about 30-45 seconds, scraping down the bowl 1-2 times during processing. Toss the chicken with the bacon and spice mixture. Thread the meat onto skewers.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reached a ketchup-like consistency and has reduced to 1 cup, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside 2/3 cup of the sauce to serve with the cooked chicken.

Scrape the cooking grate clean with a grill brush. Leave the primary burner on high and turn off the other burners. Place the kababs over the hot burner and grill, covered, turning one-quarter of a turn every 2 minutes or so, until well browned and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes.

Brush the top surface of the kebabs with about 1/4 cup sauce. Flip and cook until the sauce is browned in spots, about 1-2 minutes. Flip again and brush with remaining 1/4 cup sauce. Continue cooking until browned in spots and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes.

Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes. Serve with the barbecue sauce. Yield: 5 servings, 1 skewer each.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 267 calories; 3.4 g. fat; 70 mg. cholesterol; 554 mg. sodium; 26.6 g. carbohydrate; 1.6 g. fiber; 33 g. protein

Result: A quick meal packed with flavor. The homemade barbecue sauce was phenomenal, and very simple to make. These kabobs would be the perfect addition to any barbecue or get-together. Enjoy!

[/print_this]

Question: What are you doing for Labor Day?

Be well,