Herby Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Grapes and Shallots
My husband wowed me with a beautiful meal a couple weekends ago. I had been ultra busy all week, trying to keep up with deadlines, plus a couple yard and home projects that seemed all but a game of ridiculous phone tag. I was stressed and tired, and in need of a good home cooked meal. But I didn’t have the time to plan it or to make it. So I suggested to Blake, “Wouldn’t a smoked turkey be good this weekend? I think we still have one in the freezer.” Lucky for me, he had a recipe saved for that frozen bird. In no time at all, the turkey was thawing and I was on my way to a home cooked meal.
As the Big Green Egg curled up its glorious smoke, slow cooking that bird to perfection all Sunday afternoon, our oldest daughter helped Blake put the finishing touches on the meal. She helped to prepare a red wine gravy and a pan of roasted red grapes and shallots to accompany the carved slices of smoked poultry. I wish you could have smelled our kitchen that afternoon, with fragrant smoke wafting by the open window and all the sweet goodness going on over the fire on the stovetop. And I wish you could have had just one bite of that heavenly meal. I tried to get a little piece of everything onto every forkful; the flavors were amazing together. And when I saw how much our whole family enjoyed that meal (our girls loved the pan roasted grapes!), I knew I had to get those flavors back together, in a whole new and wonderful way. And soon!
These Herby Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Grapes and Shallots did the trick. You simply must give this recipe a try!
I’m happy to be teaming up with Gold’n Plump this year to bring you a few new chicken recipes from our kitchen and backyard grills. Gold’n Plump chicken is produced by GNP Company, which is based out of St. Cloud, Minnesota, about 90 miles northwest of where we live, right along the way we travel back to South Dakota and North Dakota to visit our families.
At Gold’n Plump, good chicken is its mission. Their Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Portions have no injected solution and are highly trimmed of fat. All you’re paying for is chicken. Already cut into smaller pieces, they make meal preparation ultra convenient. For these kebabs, I simply cut each portion into about 6 smaller pieces. It was quick and easy prep, especially with no fat to trim. These chicken breast portions would work beautifully in a quick stir-fry or pasta salad. And we love to grill the portions whole, after chilling in a simple marinade for an hour or two. This one-pound package is the perfect size for our family of four, providing a quick and healthy weeknight meal solution.
Not many meals are more fun than those served on a stick. You should see the amount of goodness on a stick that my family can put away when we visit the Minnesota State Fair for a day!
But grilled kebabs can be enjoyed all year long. They are a common, but always special, meal that our family loves. Check out our sweet and spicy Honey Chipotle Chicken Kebabs and our Honey Mustard Chicken Kebabs with a touch of curry. They are a couple of our favorites.
The chicken portions in these kebabs grill up juicy and flavorful after marinating in an herby yogurt sauce, bright with lemon. Paired with shallots bathed in a syrupy mixture of honey and balsamic vinegar, plus juicy sweet grapes, it’s a flavor combination that was truly worth the repeat.
And so I’ll leave you with just one tip. If your family is anything like mine, you’d be smart to throw in a few extra grapes (or a whole big cluster!). A bit charred and blistered, with some even popping open, the grapes are like some kind of crazy fruit candy after they’ve hit the fire. They disappear fast. Trust me on this one.
Herby Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Grapes and Shallots
These Herby Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Grapes and Shallots did the trick. You simply must give this recipe a try!
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
- 3 T. olive oil, divided
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- juice and zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tsp. fresh minced thyme
- 2 tsp. fresh minced rosemary
- 1 lb. Gold'n Plump® Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Portions, cut into 1" to 1-1/2" pieces
- 2 T. balsamic vinegar
- 1 T. honey
- 3 to 4 large shallots, peeled, root ends removed, and quartered
- 20 large red grapes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, thyme, and rosemary. Add chicken and fold to combine. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least two hours, and up to six. If using wooden skewers, place them in a shallow pan of water to soak. This will help them to not burn up as much on the grill.
- In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Peel each quartered shallot into 2 pieces and add to the balsamic mixture. Fold gently to combine. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator until chicken is done marinating.
- Thread chicken onto wood or metal skewers, alternating with grapes and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat grill to medium to medium-high heat. Make sure grates are scrubbed clean and then oiled. (To oil the grates, add some canola oil or olive oil to a small bowl. Then fold a heavy paper towel a few times to make a smaller square. With a tongs, grasp the folded paper towel and dip it into the oil until the paper towel is drenched. Then run the paper towel over the grates, repeating until all grill grates are thoroughly oiled.)
- Place chicken kebabs on hot grill grates and let cook until beautifully charred. Turn the kebabs and continue to cook until charred again. The chicken should be cooked through after about 12 to 15 minutes of total grill time. Serve hot.
Notes
from a farmgirl’s dabbles
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 27g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
This post is sponsored by Gold’n Plump, a chicken brand based out of St. Cloud, Minnesota. I am partnering with them this year to bring you delicious new chicken recipes from our kitchen and backyard grills. All opinions are 100% my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this site possible!
My son is dairy free, any suggestions for making these? They look awesome and he loves everything on them. Plus dinner on a stick is always fun.
To save time, I made a version of your recipe. I used bottled Italian Seasoning for the marinade. It was delicious!
I never thought of adding grapes but I will be trying this!
Or you can try this when you visit it in a couple weeks? ;)
I love grilling kabobs and had never thought of adding grapes! Sounds yummy – pinning!
Food on sticks is just so fun to eat! And adding grapes to the mix – oh yeah.
Seriously. Next time we make this recipe, I’m making a whole bunch of extra grape kebabs! ;)
What a great idea for a kebab! Perfect for grilling season!
Thanks, Jessica. :)
This looks amazing! I love roast grapes with chicken, and I bet it’s even better on the grill.
Thanks, Lauren. This recipe is a keeper!
We were a little skeptical of the grilled grapes, but after the first one, my husband and I were just short of wrestling each other for the ones my 9 year old decided were “yuck.” I’ll be making this again, and again, and again……
I know EXACTLY what you mean! ;)
You’ve totally sold me on grilled grapes! I hate putting food on sticks, but eating them off later is so worth it :)
I love serving kebabs to guests, their eyes always light up. There’s just an element of fun and different. I hope you try these…the grapes are killer with the chicken and shallots!
Roasted grapes and shallots are heavenly.. What great flavors and yay for grilling season!!
Grilling season makes me completely giddy. LOVE!! Thanks, Maria.
Incredibly delicious!
Thanks, Gaby!
LOVE THIS and LOVE GnP! Thank the lordy the weather is getting nicer in the cities….we’ve waited so long for this moment!
Isn’t this a glorious week we’ve got now?! I fell in love with these chicken breast portions. Meal prep could not be easier!!
I roasted grapes and served them with softened cheese and everyone loved them. Forgot how nice they really are until I saw this post. Very clever! Happy week-end!
I love to do that, too. With a little honey and some fresh thyme…oh my! :)
These look gorgeous!
Thanks, Shaina!
Loving the creativity of the grapes on the grill! I can’t wait to get our grilling season started to try this.
They are really fight-worthy! ;)
I have yet to grill grapes, but wow! These skewers look and sound incredible! can’t wait to give them a try!
You MUST try it, Tieghan. SO GOOD!! :)
A labor of Love indeed! I love it when the whole family gets involved in the meal making. Our son Zack used to love to help us in meal prep and I think they get so much more out of the experience. Thank you for sharing this delicious chicken recipe with us!
I believe in being in the kitchen together. It’s the best way to learn! Thanks, Wendy! :)