An easy way to bring a ton of flavor to your next meal is by using prepared pesto. Everything you need is right in that jar, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese and seasoning.
Cooking skewers on a grill or in a grill pan cuts down on all the dishes you need to prepare this meal, then serve your meal on. You can place a skewer on a garnished platter with a little extra drizzle of pesto right over the skewers or you can serve from the hot grill.
Using prepared pesto is a timesaver and an ingredient that is readily available at grocery stores and club stores. Once opened you can add pesto to your cooked pastas, sautéed vegetables or make it into a basil vinaigrette. One versatile sauce, marinade and product for all your cooking needs. Also, prepared pesto has a good shelf life in the refrigerator once opened. You can save the pesto for up to 6 months in the freezer. Portion off smaller amounts into containers and freeze it, just add a little olive oil to the top to keep it fresh once thawed.
Additional Uses for Pesto
Here I have helped you elevate your outdoor cooking with a very simple recipe that will make everyone ask how you make this! If you have leftovers, take the chicken and vegetables off the skewer and chop into smaller pieces, add over a salad or fold into hot buttered pasta, it is delicious. What makes this the perfect complement to grilling is that skewers take minutes to cook and everyone has a finger food to enjoy. If you have a grocery store that makes freshly prepared skewers buy a pack or two, then you can save time chopping the chicken and vegetables.
Your meal will be perfumed with smoke from the BBQ then the beautiful bright herb scents from the basil then the rich garlic scent once the heat from the grill had cooked and caramelized its flavors. A meal that not only looks delicious but tastes delicious.
Grilled Italian Chicken Skewers
INGREDIENTS
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into cubes
- 1 yellow onion cut into chunks
- 3 red bell peppers cut into chunks
- 1 cup prepared basil pesto, divided
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add ½ cup of pesto in a bowl and place in the refrigerator. In a large zip top bag place the cut up chicken, onion and bell peppers. Add olive oil to the bag and the salt and pepper, close bag and give it a good shake to distribute the oil and seasoning. Open the bag and add ½ cup of the prepared pesto, reseal the bag and massage the pesto into the ingredients. Place bag in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Thread the chicken, onions and bell peppers evenly on skewers, place on a baking tray. Discard the zip top bag and the marinade. Take the saved ½ cup pesto out of the refrigerator and place the bowl on the tray with the skewers along with a basting brush.
- Pre-heat an outdoor grill on medium high heat for 10 minutes or pre-heat a cast iron grill pan on the stove for 10 minutes on medium-low heat. Once heated, place the chicken on the grill and cook for 6 minutes then turn over and baste the pesto over the grilled side. Cook an additional 6 minutes, rotate and baste with the pesto. Check internal temperature you are looking for 165 degrees. Once cooked, remove the skewers from the grill, then give and additional basting of the pesto and serve.
Article Supplied by: GIRLCAMPER.COM
