Kebobs Recipe

If using wooden skewers, place them in a shallow pan of cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. If using metal skewers, no soaking required.

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into roughly 1 to 1¼-inch cubes so pieces will cook evenly and fit approximately 3–4 pieces per skewer (aim for about 30 skewers total).

Core and cut bell peppers into 1–1¼-inch squares. Peel onion and cut into wedges about the same size as the chicken. Slice zucchini into ½-inch thick half-moons. If mushroom stems are long, trim to similar size. Drain pineapple chunks if using canned and cut large pieces in half if necessary so they match other ingredients.

In a medium bowl whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic and Sriracha until sugar dissolves.

If you want a thicker glaze for brushing while grilling, mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry and stir into half of the marinade. Reserve the other half as a raw marinade for the chicken (do not use reserved raw marinade for brushing unless you cook it first).

In a bowl combine Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. This mixture can be used as a marinade and reserved extra for serving or brushing.

Place the cubed chicken in a large nonreactive bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the chosen raw marinade (either the Oriental BBQ raw portion or the Dijon mixture) over the chicken, toss to coat thoroughly, cover and refrigerate. Marinate at least 30 minutes, ideally 2–4 hours. Do not marinate vegetables in the acidic Dijon longer than 30–60 minutes to avoid becoming too soft; vegetables can be held separately and threaded later.

Preheat a grill or chargrill to medium-high (about 400–425°F / 200–220°C). Oil the grill grates lightly or brush skewers with neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Thread ingredients onto each skewer alternating chicken, pepper, onion, zucchini, mushroom and pineapple so pieces are snug but not overcrowded. Aim for 3–4 chicken pieces and 3–4 vegetable/pineapple pieces per skewer. Repeat until you have approximately 30 skewers.

Lightly brush assembled skewers with a little neutral oil to help prevent sticking.

Place skewers on the preheated grill. Cook 3–4 minutes per side, turning every 3–4 minutes to char evenly, for a total cook time of about 10–12 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and vegetables are tender-crisp with char marks.

If using the Oriental BBQ glaze (the portion mixed with cornstarch), brush a thin coat onto each skewer during the last 3–4 minutes of grilling, turning and brushing once or twice so the glaze caramelizes but does not burn. If using Dijon, brush a light coating during the last 2 minutes and reserve extra for serving.

If food-safety conscious, discard any leftover raw marinade. If you reserved the uninoculated marinade, bring it to a boil in a small saucepan for 2 minutes to thicken and use as a sauce.

Transfer cooked skewers to a platter. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro/parsley over the Oriental-glazed skewers if desired. Squeeze lemon wedges over the Dijon-topped skewers for brightness.

Serve immediately with extra Dijon mustard or warmed Oriental sauce on the side. Provide napkins — these are best hot off the grill.