Marinated Chicken Shishlik on Skewers

We used to bring these colorful chicken shishlik skewers to the picnics we had with the family in the Jerusalem Forest, or in the mountains around Jerusalem. I would prepare the skewers with the marinated chicken breast cubes, interspersed by colorful veggies like red peppers, yellow peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, pieces of pineapple, etc. We would grill them on the open grill, while basting them with the marinade in which the chicken had “rested” for a few hours before the picnic.

Although chicken breast meat is often considered to be a dry cut of meat, if you marinate it, it will be tasty, moist, delicious.

This dish can also be made at home, in a home grill (in the oven, using the grill option). Midway through grilling, turn the skewers over, so that the bottom side of the meat and veggies get grilled.

Although I haven’t tried it yet, I imagine that using cubed chicken thighs (what we call “Pargiot” in Israel), should be a delicious and very tasty and moist alternative to the cubed chicken breasts.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts cut into cubes – (amount depends on how many people are going to be eating).
•  red peppers, cut into cubes
•  yellow peppers, cut into cubes
• cherry tomatoes
• small shallots (or regular onions cut into large cubes).
• pieces of canned pineapple (or fresh if you like).
• Marinade: any marinade you like; I like to use bottled Italian Vinaigrette Salad Dressing – or you can make your own. I add to this, some soy sauce, or teriaki sauce, and also I often add Knorr Garlic and Honey marinade sauce, which is thick and tasty, and adds a wonderful flavor – and moisture –  to the chicken.

Preparation:

1. Have the butcher cut the chicken breasts into medium size cubes
2. Marinate the chicken for several hours in the marinade.
3. Prepare the veggies, cutting them into cubes (except for the shallots  and the cherry tomatoes which you leave whole).
4. Prepare the skewers,  interspersing pieces of  marinated chicken with the veggies and pineapple.
5. Grill the skewers, either on an open grill outside, or under the grill in your oven, on a baking tin. Baste the skewers with the remaining marinade which you used to marinate the chicken earlier. Somewhere I read or heard that it is a good idea to wet the skewers before putting on the chicken and veggies; that way the skewers won’t burn while grilling.
6. Grill on both sides (basting on both sides, so the chicken doesn’t dry out), till the chicken and veggies are roasted and have the typical dark edges on them.
7. If eating at home, it is nice to serve these skewers on rice.