Weeknight Bites: Dijon-Herb Chicken Kebabs with Lemon and Zucchini

Today I find myself sending a HUGE thank you to God for the absolutely beautiful day we've had here in Atlanta. The last couple of months have been brutally hot, and today gave us a break that I'm sure everyone appreciated. Don't get me wrong, I like summer...but this one has been relentless when it comes to the heat!

The weather outside today reminds me of the coming of Fall (though here in Georgia I still have quite a little while before this type of day becomes the norm). Upper 70's, light breeze, low humidity...this is about as close to perfect as it gets. Days like these are perfect for grilling and eating out, and I've got a great end-of-summer recipe for you to enjoy. I got this one from the June 2012 edition of Everyday with Rachael Ray (to which I am now happily subscribed!). Boy, is it yummy! Don't be afraid to add your own favorite veggies to the mix as well. For example, while the recipe doesn't call for it, squash would be a natural addition to this recipe. If you don't like red onion, you could use a milder vidalia instead.

Dijon-Herb Chicken Kebabs with Lemon and Zucchini

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. dried herbes de provence

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch pieces

1 zucchini, halved and then cut lengthwise into one-inch sections

1 large red onion, halved crosswise, then cut lengthwise into one-inch sections

1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, mix together the mustard, vinegar and herbs de provence. Whisk in 2 tbsp olive oil. Reserve 1 tbsp. marinade for veggies. 

Add the chicken to the bowl and coat well. Let marinate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. 

Preheat a gas grill to 400 degrees, or an indoor grill to medium high heat. Whisk 2 tbs olive oil and 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper into the reserved 1 tbsp. marinade. Add the zucchini and onion (and any other veggies you decide to use) to the mix and toss to coat.

Season chicken with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Thread 1 piece chicken, 1 zucchini, one section of onion, one lemon wedge and a second piece of chicken onto a 12-inch skewer. Repeat with remaining veggies and chicken.

Add kebabs crosswise across the grate and cook for 5 minutes, covered. Turn the kebabs over and cook for another 5 minutes (covered), until meat is firm and browned all over.

There seem to be several steps to this recipe despite the fact that I've identified it as one of my "weeknight bites" dishes; however, I promise that this is a very easy dish to make during the week. You can make the marinade ahead of time to save some precious minutes if you'd like, and the rest is quick and simple! And, of course, it's not just for weeknights...obviously this is a great dish for entertaining on the weekends as well.

On top of that, I like the marinade in this recipe so much that I've used it over and over again with grilled or baked chicken breasts. It's a keeper!

Until next time...

Cheers!