As I sit here on my back porch watching the dogs chase their tails, I can’t help but think about my next recipe that I am planning to whip up to show you all! This week has been a crazy week, full of dentist appts., doctor appts., vet appts. and spring cleaning! What better way to get away from it all than spending some alone time in the kitchen with a cutting board, knife, and a few mixing bowls to make some scrumptious meals for Caleb and I.
I once again used the infamous “shop and chop” method with preparing this chickpea salad, as pretty much everything requires a little bit of chopping and not a lot of thinking. The shop and chop method is one I have used since my college years (long, long time ago 😉 ) which simply put as chopping all of your vegetables as soon as you get home from the grocery store. The reasoning for it? It gives me no excuse not to use them. They are ready and begging to be used, so I have less of an excuse not to put them in a dish. And the best thing with this salad is, no cooking necessary! 🙂
Now you might be thinking, Jen there is no way I can chop my veggies as soon as I get home, because then I have to go to my son’s baseball game, or pick up my daughter from soccer tryouts. Not to worry! There is always another time to get the ball rolling. Or better yet, try to schedule your shopping trip around these other obligations, so your prep can be a priority as well. Stick with a plan, and run with it!
Now onto the Kebabs. Honestly, I am not the kind of person to do the tedious task of putting meat and veggies on a stick. Not. A. Fan. But it looks good in photos, yeah? 😛 This would be great if you are hosting a small get together with some friends, easy grab, and a healthy version of what you would get at a steakhouse or the local BBQ joint.
Look at that stud, hard at work, slaving over a hot grille. But boy, he surely loves that thing. It’s got all the bells and whistles! The smoker is his favorite part of the grille, and we use it quite a bit! Our time in the kitchen is actually a great bonding experience, one we both truly enjoy, learning about each other and learning about food.
Mmmmm-mmm-mmmmm. Now that is some good looking chicken! Cooked to perfection, and all within 10 minutes! If your mouth isn’t watering now, you might be out of luck on this dish. It turned out fantastic! I for one am really looking forward to having this a few times this week 🙂 If you eat like me, and prep for multiple days, it’s gotta be good.
And that’s all she wrote folks. This concoction goes great with a small side of quinoa, a great filler with some killer fiber. Next week, you aren’t going to want to miss out, we are going with some summer favorites, potluck style! Also, if you guys end up trying out my recipes, I would love to hear how it turned out for you! Send pictures my way!
CHICKPEA SALAD
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 large lime
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, chopped (remove seeds and membrane if sensitive to spice)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 large red onion
- Fresh cilantro, for serving
- Salsa, sour cream (or plain yogurt), and guacamole, optional for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a zip-top bag.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the oil, lime juice and zest, chili powder, cumin, garlic, jalapeno, and salt. Pour over the chicken, seal the bag, and mix well. Place the bag in a baking dish to catch any accidental drips, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. If using wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for at least 20 minutes prior to use.
- When ready to cook, heat your grill to medium-high. Cut the bell peppers and onion into 3/4-inch chunks, then thread onto skewers with the marinated chicken pieces, alternating the chicken with the vegetables. Place the kabobs on the grill, cover, and let cook until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice throughout so that it cooks evenly.
- Remove the chicken kebabs to a serving plate and sprinkle with cilantro and a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. Serve warm, garnished with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole as desired.
