grilled honey chicken & veggie kebabs

I love summer in the Pacific Northwest because almost every part of your daily routine-- even dinner-- can happen outside. I'll take a few rainy days in exchange for not being stuck inside with the AC blasting every sunny day. I'll live anywhere, in other words, as long as it's in Oregon, Washington or BC.

I married a fantastic grill master, and married into a beautiful Weber charcoal grill, so I love a dinner over the coals in the warmer months. I'll never turn down a juicy burger (there's no way I could ever go 100% vegetarian) but sometimes skewers packed with tender chicken and crispy veggies are what is going to hit the spot.

This simple marinade gives tons of subtle flavor to the chicken and vegetables. With minimal effort you can have a delicious, healthy meal that looks elegant enough for company. I only had time to marinate the meat for a few minutes and it was so flavorful, so a few hours will bring out lots of dimension and keep the meat really moist. Brushing the veggies with the leftover marinade gave them a little extra kick and helped them crisp perfectly on the grill.

Honey Marinated Chicken and Veggie Kebabs
serves 2

1/4 c vegetable oil
1/3 c honey
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1-2 cloves minced garlic (to taste)

Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 2 breasts, cut into 1" pieces or long strips
a mix of vegetables, i.e. red onion, peppers and zucchini cut into large pieces, whole grape tomatoes
wooden skewers, soaked in water for a few minutes

Pour most of the marinade over the chicken pieces in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight (or not at all... still delicious).

Heat grill to high heat, or light coals. Thread marinated chicken pieces onto skewers, leaving an inch on each end. Spear veggies onto separate skewers in desired patterns and brush with leftover marinade. Grill until veggies are beginning to crisp (7-8 minutes) and chicken is cooked through (10-12 minutes). Serve over rice, couscous, quinoa, with grilled corn or flatbread, or by themselves!