Grilled Barbecued Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
For the sauce
1⁄2 cup ketchup
1⁄4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar (I used red apple balsamic.)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the kebabs
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 slices bacon, cut into 1⁄2 pieces
4 12-inch metal skewers
Instructions
1. For the sauce: Bring all ingredients to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reaches ketchup-like consistency and is reduced to about 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer 1⁄2 cup sauce to small bowl and set aside remaining sauce to serve with cooked chicken.
2. For the kebabs: Toss chicken and salt in large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. Prepare grill. I assume you know how to get your own grill going, since I sure don’t!
4. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine sweet paprika, sugar, and smoked paprika in small bowl. Process bacon in food processor or mini chopper until smooth paste forms, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down bowl twice during processing. Add bacon paste and spice mixture to chicken; mix with hands or rubber spatula until ingredients are thoroughly blended and chicken is completely coated. Thread meat onto skewers with no space in between chicken pieces. If there are any larger bits of bacon paste, make sure they’re secured between chicken.
5. Place kebabs over coals and grill, turning one-quarter turn every 2 to 2 1⁄2 minutes until well browned and slightly charred, about 8 minutes. Brush top surface of kebabs with 1⁄4 cup sauce; flip and cook until sauce is brown in spots, about 1 minute. Brush second side with remaining 1⁄4 cup sauce; flip and continue to cook until brown in spots and instant-read thermometer inserted in center of meat registers 160*F, about 1 minute longer. Remove kebabs from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce.
Comments
This recipe is from the Cook’s Illustrated 2011 Annual and WOW, these were awesome! The bacon kept the chicken nice and juicy, the flavors of the coating were great, the bbq sauce was wonderful. We’ve had kebabs on our list of things to make for quite some time and I’m so glad we finally got to them since this recipe is delicious!
I recommend flat, wide skewers instead of ones that are round. You don’t want your meat to spin around during cooking!
Shown here with Garlic Rice Pilaf.
Cook’s Illustrated 2011