Surprise! Chicken Skewers

This recipe simply came about because I found these cute little bamboo skewers in my cupboard that I completely forgot about. I tend to buy things based on what I MAY need. It's a running joke with my family. My thinking is, what if I decided to throw a cocktail party at the last minute and didn't have any bamboo skewers? Well that would be terrible! This way, I'm always prepared. The only problem with that is, I usually forget what I bought and if I do remember, I forget where I put it!

These chicken skewers were tasty not only because of the marinade but also because of the gremolata that I threw on after they came off the grill. Gremolata is typically what you would serve with osso bucco and it consists of parsley, lemon zest and garlic. I basically wanted to mimic the flavours of the marinade. It makes any dish taste fresh and vibrant. It's also really good on roasted potatoes.

BTW, I made these on my stove top cast iron grill. There was no way I was going to stand outside in this polar vortex!

A tip if you are using wooden/bamboo skewers. Soak them in water before threading on the chicken. I forgot and they caught on fire…a little bit. No biggie. I had it under control. Ha!

These would also be amazing to pass around as hors d'oeuvres if you only skewered 1-2 pieces of chicken.

Chicken Skewers

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 pieces
zest and juice of a lemon
1 clove of garlic, minced or grated with a microplane
1 teaspoon herb de provence
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
10-12 skewers, wooden or metal

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

In the meantime, soak your wooden skewers in water and preheat outdoor bbq or indoor grill.
Thread 3-4 pieces on each skewer. At this point you can refrigerate for a few hours or overnight if you wanted to do ahead of time.


When your grill is hot, cook them for 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked. Sprinkle with the gremolata and serve.

Gremolata

1/2 cup of parsley
zest of a lemon
1 clove of garlic

Place the parsley on a cutting board and chop. Mince the garlic over it with a microplane grater, add the zest and run your knife over it to combine everything. Set aside.

m xo