20 Minute Dinner Recipe: Chicken Kebabs

This recipe is super easy. It does require a little forethought so you can marinade the chicken. But once that’s done, it only takes around 20 minutes of total prep and cook time.

Why I Like It

Have you ever been to Italy?

I lived there for a few years as a kid.

The food in Italy is always so fresh — never frozen, packaged food; just real, natural ingredients — and it makes a huge difference in the taste.

Italy is the first place I had pesto, and we had it often because it’s an Italian creation.

It can be a healthier way to add flavor to your food without adding the extra calories that come with so many sauces.

I really like this recipe because, besides the pesto, chicken is a great lean protein, and it’s an easy one for making extra to keep on hand.

Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pesto (if you’re adventurous in the kitchen, you can make your own)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 medium bell peppers, red
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes

Directions:

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and pesto; marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain pesto from the chicken.
Chop bell pepper into bite sized pieces and add to a large skillet with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
Thread chicken, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes onto skewers; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10-12 minutes.*

*No grill, no problem: This can also be baked for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees F.

Bonus Side Dish Recipe

One thing I struggle with is finding something to pair with my favorite recipes. So here’s a good potato salad recipe to pair with the chicken kebabs.

With most potato salads I’m overwhelmed by all the mayo and extra fat in the dish, so I decided to set out and make my own version.

Healthier Creamy Potato Salad With Protein

Ingredients:

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes
1 tablespoon salt, for cooking potatoes
1/2 cup greek yogurt, plain, non-fat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup celery, chopped
3 tablespoons pickle relish
2 tablespoons red onions, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
4 eggs, hard-cooked, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add 1-tablespoon salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer. Stir a few times, until potatoes are fork tender, about 8 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and onion powder. Add to potatoes and gently stir to combine. Add celery, pickles, red onions, parsley and chopped eggs to potato mixture, stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour before serving. Potato salad can be made up to one day ahead.

I adapted this recipe from Jessica Gavin.