Grilled Chicken Skewers
with pesto zucchini noodles
If you or anyone in your household prefers vegetables "hidden" this meal is for you. The pesto for this flavorful zucchini noodle salad is packed with veggies, but they are blended into a smooth rich sauce. If you made the pesto earlier in the week, this meal should be a breeze to prepare.
Smarts: If you're short on time, feel free to skip the skewers for the chicken and just cook it on the stovetop or slice it into strips to place directly on the grill.
Cooking methods: This recipe includes instructions for using the grill or stovetop. Select your preferred method.
Smarts: If you're short on time, feel free to skip the skewers for the chicken and just cook it on the stovetop or slice it into strips to place directly on the grill.
Cooking methods: This recipe includes instructions for using the grill or stovetop. Select your preferred method.
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Cuisines
Ingredients
Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Walnut Pesto:
- Bell peppers, red - 1
- Eggplants, Chinese or Japanese - 3/4 lbs (sub Italian eggplant)
- Garlic - 1 clove
- Walnuts - 1/4 cup
- Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Chicken Skewers:
- Garlic - 1 clove , chopped
- Honey - 1 tsp
- Bragg's / coconut aminos - 2 Tbsp
- Vinegar, apple cider - 2 Tbsp (sub balsamic vinegar)
- Oil, cooking - 2 Tbsp
- Chicken breast, boneless and skinless - 1 lb , cubed
- Skewers, metal or bamboo - 12
Pesto Zucchini Noodles:
- Zucchini - 1 lb , spiralized or peeled into ribbons with a peeler
- Basil - 8 leaves , chopped
- Eggplant and Red Pepper Pesto (ingredients listed separately) - ~1 cup
Choose Cooking Method
Prep
- Garlic (portion for chicken) - Chop garlic. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Marinate chicken - Whisk together garlic (portion for chicken), honey, aminos, vinegar, and cooking oil. Slice chicken into cubes. Be sure that the cubes will fit onto your skewers. If you don’t have skewers, you can also just slice the chicken into long thick strips to place directly on the grill. Combine chicken with marinade and tenderize with a fork. Marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to a day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Roast vegetables - (Skip if roasted ahead for Tuesday.) Fire up the grill or turn on the oven’s broiler. Core stem out of peppers. Pierce eggplants all over with a fork. Brush peppers and eggplants with some cooking oil. Place over direct heat on the grill or broil on a sheet pan for 6 minutes each side. When peppers are charred and eggplants are soft, place them in a mixing bowl and cover with a plate to help steam off skins. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh out of eggplants and peel skins off of red peppers. (Discard skins.) This video shows you how to roast peppers. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Make pesto - (Skip if made ahead for Tuesday.) Combine flesh of eggplants, peppers, garlic (portion for pesto), and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is combined and smooth. Finish with lemon juice and season to taste with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Skewers - If using wooden / bamboo skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes.
- Assemble skewers - Thread chicken onto skewers. (Using two skewers together can make it easier to flip the skewers as they cook.) (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Zucchini - Turn zucchini into 'noodles' with a spiralizer or peel off strips with a peeler. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Basil - Chop basil.
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Make
- Season chicken skewers with some salt and pepper.
- Heat grill to 400F / 204C, keeping one part of the grill with direct heat and one part with indirect heat. Clean grates and brush with some cooking oil.
- Add chicken skewers to direct heat on the grill and turn to sear on all sides. Move to indirect heat and close the lid. Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes total. (Note: Remove a piece of chicken and check it for doneness if unsure.)
- Place zucchini noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high just until tender, 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to overcook). Gently stir in pesto. Season with some salt and pepper. Top with fresh basil.
- Serve chicken skewers with zucchini noodles on the side. Enjoy!
Prep
- Garlic (portion for chicken) - Chop garlic. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Marinate chicken - Whisk together garlic (portion for chicken), honey, aminos, vinegar, and cooking oil. Slice chicken into cubes. If using skewers, be sure that the chicken pieces are the right size to fit on the skewers. (You can also just skip the skewers and saute the chicken in a skillet.) Combine chicken with marinade and tenderize with a fork. Marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to a day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Roast vegetables - (Skip if roasted ahead for Tuesday.) Fire up the grill or turn on the oven’s broiler. Core stem out of peppers. Pierce eggplants all over with a fork. Brush peppers and eggplants with some cooking oil. Place over direct heat on the grill or broil on a sheet pan for 6 minutes each side. When peppers are charred and eggplants are soft, place them in a mixing bowl and cover with a plate to help steam off skins. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh out of eggplants and peel skins off of red peppers. (Discard skins.) This video shows you how to roast peppers. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Make pesto - (Skip if made ahead for Tuesday.) Combine flesh of eggplants, peppers, garlic (portion for pesto), and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is combined and smooth. Finish with lemon juice and season to taste with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Assemble skewers - Thread chicken onto skewers. (Using two skewers together can make it easier to flip the skewers as they cook.) (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Zucchini - Turn zucchini into 'noodles' with a spiralizer or peel off strips with a peeler. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Basil - Chop basil.
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Make
- Season chicken skewers with some salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill pan over medium heat (if you aren’t using skewers, just heat a wok or skillet to saute the chicken). Brush pan with some oil. Add chicken skewers to heated grill pan and turn to sear on all sides until chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total. (Note: Covering the skewers with a lid or foil as they cook can help speed the process along and help the chicken to cook evenly.)
- Place zucchini noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high just until tender, 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to overcook). Gently stir in pesto. Season with some salt and pepper. Top with fresh basil.
- Serve chicken skewers with zucchini noodles on the side. Enjoy!
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