Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 82F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..
Clear to partly cloudy. Low 61F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Chicken and vegetable kabobs can be a quick and easy meal to fix on any late summer weekend or perhaps for that Labor Day family gathering.
Chicken and vegetable kabobs can be a quick and easy meal to fix on any late summer weekend or perhaps for that Labor Day family gathering.
It's a quandary. How do we avoid spending Labor Day laboring in the kitchen, but also celebrate the last hurrah of summer with a delicious meal? Here's how!
We're going to employ the grill and concoct a Mediterranean inspired feast that is very inexpensive, easy and fast to prepare. Everything can be prepared in advance then grilled in 20 minutes to be served at your leisure during your gathering. Bonus — cooking outside keeps the house cooler, too.
On the menu this weekend is an easy Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetable Kabob, filled with tender chicken and sweet summer vegetables made even sweeter by the smoke from the grill. We're using chicken thighs for easy grilling and low-cost.
To accompany this, we have refreshing homemade tzatziki sauce. If this is new to you, tzatziki is a cold yogurt sauce with cucumbers, garlic, dill and lemon juice. It's incredibly popular in Greece, where it's slathered on top of nearly everything. To enhance the salty tang of this sauce we're adding feta cheese.
To finish this off, we'll have pillowy pita bread, warmed on the grill. This delicious combination is seasonal, festive and affordable.
Mediterranean chicken and vegetable kabobs
4 long metal skewers or bamboo skewers
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 medium summer squash, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 medium red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
If you're using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to use.
Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. Place the kabobs into a 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole dish and pour the Italian dressing on top. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for a least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Make your tzatziki sauce if you haven't already. Place the chicken kabobs on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through. Let the kabobs rest for 5 minutes before serving. While you wait, warm the pita bread on the grill.
Serve the kabobs with pita bread and tzatziki sauce for dipping or schmearing on the pitas.
Easy tzatziki sauce with feta
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill
1/4 cup (2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
Using a box grater, grate the cucumber on the largest grating side, then squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel to remove most (but not all) of the liquid. Place the cucumber in a medium bowl and add the yogurt, lemon, garlic, dill and feta.
Stir to combine and set aside so the flavors can marry. This can be made in advance and refrigerated, if desired. Before serving, add black pepper to taste and squeeze a lemon wedge over the bowl and stir once more. This recipe easily doubles, and any leftovers can be refrigerated for three to four days.
I hope the holiday weekend finds you relaxing with full tummies and fuller hearts. Happy Labor Day, my friends.
Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of divasonadime.com. © 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.