Grilled BBQ Chicken with Veggie Skewers Recipe

This recipe is a great way to enjoy BBQ and keep it lean!  

Chicken is one of the leanest protein options available (given that you choose skinless chicken breast). With the right marinade and when cooked properly on the grill, chicken can be tender, juicy and delicious. 

For the skewers, I like to combine an array of colorful veggies because people eat with their eyes first and the vibrant colors are enticing. Plus, grilled skewers take veggies to another level and make for easy serving sizes. 

As far as BBQ sauce goes, there are many to choose from but most contain high fructose corn syrup. Search for one made with real sugar like molasses, brown sugar or honey that has less than 8 grams of sugar per serving. I chose Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce or you can make your own BBQ sauce from scratch if you prefer.

You can prep your skewers and marinate your chicken the day before to save time when entertaining friends or to have dinner ready faster for yourself or your family. 

Grilling gives veggies a taste that's hard to replicate with any other cooking method. 

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

Grilled BBQ Chicken

8 Chicken breast

¼ Cup BBQ sauce

⅛ tsp salt

Veggie Skewers

8 Skewers, 17 inch

4 Corn on the cob, quartered

2 Zucchini, cut into 1 inch disks or thin ribbons

16 Baby bella mushrooms, keep whole

2 Red bell peppers, large dice

2 Purple onions, large dice 

Salt & pepper to taste

½ tsp garlic powder

Avocado oil spray

People eat with their eyes first...choose a variety of colors for your veggies.

Directions

1. Clean excess fat and sinew (tough fibrous tissue) off chicken breast.
2. Marinate chicken in a zip lock bag with salt and BBQ sauce. Let marinate overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
3. Prep your veggies and skewer them. On each skewer I was able to fit: 2 mushrooms, 2 zucchini disks, 2 pieces of corn, 3-4 bell pepper slices and 4 slices of onion.
4. Spray your skewers with avocado oil spray and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
5. Heat grill to 350-375℉.  Make sure the grill is clean of debris.
6. Spray each piece of chicken with avocado oil spray and lay skin side down for best grill marks.  
7. Cook each side 5-7 minutes until the internal temperature reads 165℉. Keep an eye on your temperature, making sure the grill doesn't rise above 400℉ or below 325℉. Be sure to let rest a few minutes before cutting.
8. When chicken is almost done or resting, start the skewers. Keep the heat at 350-400℉. Rotate constantly and grill for about 10-12 minutes. If they start to get too much color, turn the heat down.

Try to find a BBQ sauce that has 8g sugar or less per serving.

Chef Tips

• For the most tender chicken breast, search for breasts that are 6-8oz raw instead of larger ones that are 14-16oz raw. Free range or organic chicken breasts tend to be smaller and more tender, which is a game-changer for leftovers! The smaller, more tender chicken breasts are more likely to stay juicy and tender when reheating. 
• When grilling with sugar, in this case the sugar in the BBQ sauce, it can burn easily so keep an eye on your hot spots and cycle around your chicken when flipping them over. 
• If you would like to add a starchy carbohydrate to this dish, rice pairs perfectly. Cook and finish with fresh herbs. 

Nutrition

One serving:

5oz chicken (cooked) & 1 veggie skewer (½ corn cob, 2oz zucchini, 0.5oz bell, 0.5oz red onion, 1oz mushroom)

This recipe is a great way to enjoy BBQ and keep it lean!  

Now it's your turn! Try out this recipe and tag us on social media (facebook @fitflavorsbyjillian, instagram and twitter @fit_flavors). If you really loved it, share it with a friend.