Grilled Chicken or Shrimp with Vegetable Kebabs

How to Prepare Chicken, Shrimp and Veggies for Grilling & Barbecuing

Jul 30, 2009 Susan Lynne Hamilton

These easy recipes for marinated Asian chicken with peanut dipping sauce, Vietnamese grilled shrimp and vegetable kebabs are perfect for the grill or bbq this summer.

Grilling meals will keep the heat out of the kitchen and families outdoors during summer. Try this simple Asian grilled chicken and Vietnamese grilled shrimp served with grilled vegetable kebabs.

Asian Grilled Chicken

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless chicken breast halves
• 12 8-inch wooden skewers

Directions:

1. Presoak 8-inch wooden skewers for 20-30 minutes in water.
2. Lightly flatten chicken halves so they are the same thickness.
3. Cut flattened chicken into ¾- to 1-inch wide strips lengthwise.
4. Thread chicken onto presoaked skewers.

Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:

• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small piece of fresh garlic (pinkie-finger sized), sliced

Directions:

1. In a large shallow dish, mix together the marinade ingredients.
2. Add skewered chicken to marinade dish.
3. Marinate chicken at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. If marinating chicken longer than 30 minutes, refrigerate it.
5. Grill chicken strips on preheated grill or bbq for 2 to 4 minutes per side.
6. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Peanut Dipping Sauce

Serve this dipping sauce with chicken and/or vegetables. Substitute almonds for peanuts for those with allergies.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. peanut butter (or almond butter for those who may be allergic to peanuts)
• ¼ cup hot chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• ½ to ¼ tsp. hot sauce or Tabasco sauce, depending on desired hotness
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• ¼ cup chopped green onion or chives

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Keep sauce at room temperature until ready to serve.
3. Transfer sauce to serving bowl when chicken is grilled.

Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Grilled Shrimp

Steven Raichlen, aka the barbecue guru, offers this recipe for grilled shrimp in his book The Barbecue Bible. He recommends using kosher salt for grilling, since it draws out more moisture from food and dissolves slowly.

This simple recipe makes an appetizer for 6 to 8 people or a main course for 4.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds headless jumbo shrimp, shells on and deveined
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt, kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• Juicy lime wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Rinse shrimp under cold water, blot dry with paper towels, place in non-reactive bowl.
2. Sprinkle with lime juice and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3. Toss shrimp to coat.
4. Preheat grill to high for 10 minutes.
5. Put wedge of lime and separate mounds of salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. each) on small serving plates for each person. Set aside.
6. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate.
7. Arrange shrimp, in their shells, on the hot grate.
8. Grill, turning with tongs, until meat is firm and pink, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
9. Transfer shrimp to a platter or plates.
10. To eat, squeeze the lime wedge over the salt and pepper and mix with chopsticks.
11. Peel the shrimp and dip in the lime/salt/pepper mixture.

Grilled Vegetable Kebabs

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

• 10 to 12 8-inch wooden skewers
• 20 medium-sized mushrooms or 3 large Portabella mushrooms
• 1 medium purple onion
• 1 medium green pepper
• 1 medium red pepper
• 1 medium yellow pepper
• 2 zucchini squash
• 2 summer squash
• Canola or olive oil spray
• Seasoned salt
• Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Presoak wooden skewers for 20-30 minutes.
2. Preheat grill.
3. Wash mushrooms and cut off stems.
4. If using Portabella mushrooms, cut caps into quarters.
5. Peel onion and cut into quarters then eighths.
6. Wash peppers, cut in half and remove seeds.
7. Cut peppers into quarters then eighths.
8. Wash squash, cut off ends, cut squash into 1-inch chunks.
9. Thread vegetables onto skewers, alternating mushrooms, onion, peppers and squash to make colorful kebabs.
10. Spray vegetables with canola or olive oil spray.
11. Dust vegetables with seasoned salt.
12. Grill veggies on medium high, turning frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes.
13. Remove vegetables to serving platter.
14. Drizzle vegetables with balsamic vinegar.

Serve Asian chicken, Vietnamese shrimp and vegetable kebabs with cooked rice or udon noodles.

For more outdoor meals, try grilled seafood or grilled salmon and veggies recipes.

The copyright of the article Grilled Chicken or Shrimp with Vegetable Kebabs in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Susan Lynne Hamilton. Permission to republish Grilled Chicken or Shrimp with Vegetable Kebabs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Grilled Chicken on Skewers

Grilled Shrimp

Grilled Vegetable Kebabs

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