For many, Memorial Day is not only a day to honor the men and women who died in service to our country, it is a day to kick off the start of summer with a backyard BBQ for friends and family. If you are watching your calories, backyard grilling might not seem like much fun. Most BBQ food is loaded with fat and calories. So, instead of a burger, switch things up with these delicious chicken kabobs. Kabobs are a great way to cut down on calories and load up on healthy veggies.
Happy Memorial Day (and happy grilling) from the Blue Sky family!
Garlic Lemon Chicken
Kabobs
Healthy kabob recipe from Williams-Sonoma.com
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the 3 Tbs. olive oil, the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.If using wooden skewers, soak them in water to cover for at least 20 minutes.In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.Thread the onion and bell pepper onto the skewers, alternating the pieces and dividing them equally. Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Thread the chicken onto separate skewers, taking care not to pack the pieces too tightly.Lay the skewers on the grill. Brush the vegetables with the olive oil-lemon juice mixture. Close the lid and cook until the chicken is opaque throughout and the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a warmed platter and serve immediately. Serves 2.
Blue Sky MD Modifications: We recommend that you forgo the vegetable marinade to save calories and reduce fat content. Grilled veggies are delicious on their own! Also, feel free to add additional veggies to this healthy kabob recipe, like mushrooms, broccoli, onions or cauliflower, all of which are great on the grill.
