Recipe: Memorial Day Edition! Yogurt Marinated Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

I'm happy to say that grilling season is officially here! The sun is shining, the pools are open, and everyone wants to do some outdoor cooking. One of my favorite things to make on the grill are kabobs. Not only do they cook quickly, but they are quite versatile and make it easy to create a large spread with something to please every palate. I like to make mine using a product called the Fire Wire. The long wire allows you to pack lots of food on to one skewer and they have a handle at the end that you can grab with your hand (burn-free) when it's time to flip. They are also nice if you have a round grill because you can snake them around, giving you a much more efficient use of the cooking space. I find they work better with meats than veggies, as the vegetables tend to spin around when it's time to flip, but it's still doable.

Now for the food! I cooked chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell peppers, red onion, and pineapple. The pineapple was cubed and grilled au naturale. For the veggies, I brushed them with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Both simple and simply delicious. The chicken was cubed and marinated in a mixture of yogurt and spices which gave it lots of moisture and great flavor. Try this out at your next cook-out or for dinner with the family and you won't be disappointed. I know I"ll be making it all summer long!

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs

serves 2-4 people

Ingredients

1.25 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed (thighs would also work, if you prefer)

1/2 cup organic, plain yogurt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Skewers

Directions

1. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl or measuring cup and mix thoroughly.

2. Place chicken in a shallow dish or large plastic bag and add yogurt mixture. Mix well to ensure the marinade is completely incorporated. Cover (or close the bag) and refrigerate for 3-6 hours.

3. Prepare your grill and heat on medium-low. When chicken is done marinating, remove from refrigerator and put on your favorite skewers. If using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes before adding the chicken and fill them completely, limiting the amount of exposed wood. This will help prevent a flaming skewer or the skewer burning and breaking into pieces.

4. Place chicken skewers on hot grill and cook, flipping once. A good rule of thumb it not to flip the meat until it pulls away from the grill freely. Don't be the person that moves the food around constantly. Place it on the grill and be patient. The results will be much better, I assure you.

5. When chicken is cooked, remove from grill and serve with grilled vegetables.

What is you favorite food to grill in the Summer? Tell me in the comments below! : )