Citrus-Herb Chicken Kabobs

While I don't have my own kids (yet), I'm always trying to make sure my nieces and nephews know that real food can be delicious (and not taste like lunch room food). Most of them are pretty adventurous and are willing to try the majority of the food I make or eat. They've tasted my roasted seaweed and kombucha. (They are now obsessed with seaweed. "Spicy" ginger kombucha, not so much.) They tasted and loved my kale chips and molten chocolate brownie. Some of the normal food stuff, like different types of chicken and fried zucchini coins, is a little harder to get them to try. It's new and weird. Chicken is usually a win but the zucchini coins needed to be very thin and crispy for those to be devoured.

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Now, these kids eat plenty of real food, but like most kids, they prefer to stick with what they know. So...what I like to do is, well, lie to them. Okay, I'm kidding. I just get them to pretend and use their imagination while I throw in a little education about real food and why we should choose to eat it over processed/fast food. The chicken, being the slightly green color that it was from the herbs, was "Hulk Chicken". I told them that the Hulk made the chicken for them to help them grow big and strong. Did they believe it? Maybe for a second. But they had fun with it and were willing to give the chicken a chance. (FYI: this doesn't work on teenagers.)

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Results: Hulk or not, I received "yes" votes from each guinea pig kid. A yes from these kids means they liked it and would eat it again. (By the way, the chicken tastes great cold so it can be put on small skewers, like these, with some fruit or veggies then packed in school lunches.


Citrus-Herb Chicken Kabobs
(grain/dairy/egg/nut/nightshade-free) Makes about 8-12 (12") kabobs
printable recipe

What you need:

2 1/2 - 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (8-10 thighs or 4-6 breasts)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
Large handful fresh parsley
Handful fresh cilantro (or handful fresh basil or other herb)
1 lime, juice and zest (This is the zester I use)
1 small orange, juice and zest (or 1/2 large orange)
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 tbsp coconut aminos (or gluten-free tamari)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 scant tsp cumin (optional, omit for AIP)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (omit for AIP)

How to make: 

Cut chicken into chunks or strips for skewering. Blend the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until well blended. Place chicken in marinade in a covered dish or plastic bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (don't marinate for longer than 2 hours). If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using. Remove chicken from marinade and thread on skewers. Discard marinade. Add any vegetable or fruit chunks to skewers if you'd like. Salt chicken before cooking.

To grill: Preheat grill and cook for about 3-6 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. (I flip every minute or so to prevent burning.)

To cook in oven: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken skewers on a baking sheet and cook for 8-12 minutes per side or until cooked through with an internal temp of 165 degrees F


Don't forget to use this storage tip for your herbs. And if needed, freeze your citrus juice and zest.


More chicken recipes:

Ginger-Garlic & Lime Grilled Chicken
Tandoori Chicken

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Shared at: Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable,  Allergy Free Wednesdays, Thank Goodness It's Monday, Make Your Own Monday, Fight Back Fridays,



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