Recipe Background
Spring Chicken Kabobs are the perfect way to get the grill fired up again after a long winter hiatus. The chicken is tender and savory, coated in a sweet, nutty, and spicy sauce and served on skewers with tropically sweet pineapple! But of course, a kabob without a sauce just won't do, so Spring Chicken Kabobs are served up with a tangy and sweet sesame chili sauce. Spring is in the air and spring flavors are dancing on your tongue!
Spring Chicken Kabobs are the perfect way to get the grill fired up again after a long winter hiatus. The chicken is tender and savory, coated in a sweet, nutty, and spicy sauce and served on skewers with tropically sweet pineapple! But of course, a kabob without a sauce just won't do, so Spring Chicken Kabobs are served up with a tangy and sweet sesame chili sauce. Spring is in the air and spring flavors are dancing on your tongue!
Ingredients
For the kabobs:
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 jalapeño sliced
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- black pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 cups pineapple chunks
For the sesame chili sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 jalapeño chopped
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- green onions to taste, chopped, for serving
Directions
- In a bowl, add the sesame oil, 1/2 cup of the tamari, the rice wine vinegar, the honey, 1 of the sliced jalapeños, 6 cloves of the chopped garlic, the ginger, and the black pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken pieces to the oil mixture and toss to coat.
- Allow the chicken to marinate for 10 minutes.
- On soaked wooden skewers, thread the chicken and the pineapple chunks evenly, making sure to reserve the marinade.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the skewers, while turning them occasionally, until they are lightly charred and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10-12 minutes.
- In a small pot over medium-high heat, add the reserved marinade and bring it to a boil.
- Cook the marinade until it thickens into a sauce.
- Brush the chicken skewers with the sauce.
- In a bowl, add the mayonnaise, the sweet Thai chili sauce, the ketchup, the remaining tamari, the remaining chopped jalapeño, the remaining garlic, the lime zest, and the toasted sesame seeds and whisk to combine.
- Garnish with the green onions and serve with the sesame chili sauce.
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