Chicken seasoned with garlic and rosemary, skewered with zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes… this fresh from the garden kebab just seemed to be calling out for an easy salsa verde as the perfect Mediterranean compliment.
There is nothing better than a meal on a stick! Kebabs are a great way to serve up a good balance of meat and vegetable that’s both healthy and kid-friendly. Plus they’re easily transported making these kebabs a perfect choice for tailgating or a game-day buffet.
The key to a successful mixed kebab (not all the same ingredient) is to be sure that everything is cooks in relatively the same amount of time. In the case of these particular kebabs, the tomatoes do cook a bit faster, but I like that charred, squishy tomato thing. You may want to substitute mushrooms for the tomatoes if it’s not your thing.
The other key to successful kebabs, is to cut everything the same width or diameter. You want everything to come into contact with the grill so that every bite has that awesome smoky charred flavor that we look for when grilling.
Keeping with this kebab’s seemingly Mediterranean garden roots, I thought a flavorful salsa verde seemed in order – the Italian/Spanish kind, not tomatillo (although, that would be delicious as well). The flavors of the parsley and capers with a little bit of acidity from red wine vinegar really enhance and compliment the flavor of the chicken and vegetables.
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
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- 24 cherry tomatoes
- 2 to 3 small to medium zucchini (same diameter as the tomatoes)
- 1 to 2 red bell peppers
- 1 to 2 green bell peppers
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salsa Verde, for serving (recipe follows)
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- Extras: six to eight 10- to 12-inch skewers
- Cut the chicken into pieces roughly the same size as the cherry tomatoes. Place in a medium bowl and Make the marinade by whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper; toss until well coated. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour and for as long as a couple days. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes before grilling.
- Prepare the vegetables: The zucchini should be roughly the same size in diameter as the tomatoes; cut them into 1-inch pieces. Cut down the sides of the bell peppers and trim away any remaining pith; cut into 1-1/2- x 1-1/2-inch pieces (about the same width as the tomatoes) of each color pepper.
- Set up your grill for direct medium-high heat grilling. Brush and oil the grate before cooking.
- Thread the skewers alternately with cubes of chicken and vegetables; starting and ending with the tomatoes. Brush kebabs with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place kebabs on hot grill and cook for 8 to 12 minutes total flipping every few minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Serve hot or at room temperature whither generous spoonfuls of salsa verde.
- For the salsa verde:
- ½ cup parsley leaves, packed
- 2 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 2 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- A few grinds of black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Add all ingredients, except the oil, to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until all the ingredients are finally chopped. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff
