Citrus-Honey Chicken Skewers

As I mentioned yesterday, re-entry to reality has been slow after a week on Kauai.

We continue to make ourselves at home again: unpacking suitcases, loads of laundry, watering plants, refilling the birdfeeders, stocking the fridge. I find something comforting about resuming the habits of normal life after an adventure- especially getting back into the kitchen. Our Kauai diet included a lot of mai tais and Maui Onion potato chips, so I wanted something healthy and light. We took advantage of the mild weather and fired up the grill for delish Citrus-Honey Chicken Skewers.

This has been my go-to marinade lately. There’s something scrumptious about the combination of sweet, tart, and spicy, and it’s super easy. It starts with fresh citrus- the juice of an orange, a lemon, and a lime. Next, I add plenty of minced garlic and a generous squeeze of honey. Fresh chopped thyme, a few shakes of crushed red pepper, olive oil, lots of salt and pepper- and that’s the marinade!

While I’ve used chicken thighs with this marinade in the past, last night I chopped up two chicken breasts into big chunks and let them swim in the marinade for 45 minutes or so. I skewered the chicken up with zucchini, squash, onion, and tomato. Let’s grill!

The key with this marinade is basting while you grill. John is a skillful baster. Be sure to use up every last drop of the flavorful marinade!

Gorgeous! I served the chicken and veggies over brown rice with chopped tomatoes and fresh basil. The chicken is so tasty- bright citrus flavor, the warm sweetness from the honey, savory bits of garlic, and heat from the red pepper. I love the char flavor from the grill. This dish tastes like summer.

Now that warm weather is (mostly) here to stay, this marinade makes regular appearances on the dinnertime roster. Try it with your favorite fish, shrimp, pork, or veggie medley and let me know what you think. YUMMY.

Do you have a favorite easy and healthy go-to recipe? Share with me!

Citrus-Honey Chicken Skewers

You’ll need:

• Juice of one orange, one lemon, one lime (1/2 cup or more total)
• 2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• Generous tablespoon of honey (go big)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• Teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like extra heat!)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
• Two chicken breasts, chopped into two-inch chunks
• One zucchini, chopped into large chunks
• One yellow squash, chopped into large chunks
• Half of one red onion, chopped into large chunks
• 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes
• Fresh chopped basil for garnish

In a medium bowl, whisk together the citrus juice, minced garlic, honey, thyme, red pepper, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the chicken chunks and stir well, making sure most of the chicken is covered by the marinade. Let it sit in the fridge for at least a half hour (more is better).

Heat your grill. Skewer the chicken with the veggies, reserving the marinade. Grill the skewers until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and everything has a bit of char, basting with the marinade until it’s gone. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Welcome the warm weather! Yum.

Hungry for more? Check out the collection of recipes on the FOOD BLISS page.