Grilled Caribbean Chicken Kebabs with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

Hello! Summer is the best time for grilling, so why not break out the ol' gas griller and get cookin! That's what I thought this evening and kebabs are perfect for a summer time meal.

I love the way the spiced grilled chicken tastes with the tangy black bean and mango salsa. It makes for a very flavorful and colorful dish.

The kebabs were deeply appreciated by a very hungry crowd, who gobbled them up in no time.

Just keep in mind that the chicken needs to marinate for at least and hour. Let all those good spices soak all up in that chicken, ya gotta be patient for that yummy flavor.


 And the mango salsa also must sit in the fridge for an hour to absorb the flavors....as usual I did not read the recipe all the way through and ended up not cooking til late, but oh well it was still delicious!

Grilled Caribbean Chicken Kebabs with Black Bean Salsa

from: Cooks Illustrated The Best Chicken Recipes cookbook

Ingredients: 

Chicken and Marinde:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons grated zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 inch chunks

Vegetables:
3 large onions, cut into ½ inch-thick wedges
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 recipe Black Bean and Mango Salsa

Directions:

For the Chicken and Marinade:

Whisk the olive oil, parsley, garlic, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Transfer ¼ cup of the marinade to an airtight container, stir in the lime juice, and set aside. Add the remaining marinade to a large ziplock bag along with the chicken. Seal, shut, toss to coat, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours (I only refrigerated for 45 minutes and mine turned out just fine. But if you marinate the chicken for more than 3 hours, refrigerate the reserved marinade until you are ready to cook the chicken; bring to room temperature before using.)

Turn on all burners on the grill to high, close the lid, and heat the grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use a grill brush to scrape the cooking grate clean. Dip a wad of paper towels in oil, holding the wad with tongs, oil the cooking grate.

For the Vegetables:

Meanwhile, toss the onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper; set aside.

Remove the chicken chunks from the ziplock bag, allowing the excess marinade to drip off. Using eight 12-inch skewers, thread each skewer with 1 wedge of onion and 1 cube of chicken. Repeat this sequence 4 more times on each skewer. 

Grill the kebabs, uncovered, turning each kebab one-quarter turn every 2 minutes, until the chicken and onions are lightly browned and the meat is fully cooked, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the kebabs to a platter, pour the reserved marinade-lime juice mixture over the top and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with Black Bean and Mango Salsa.

Black Bean and Mango Salsa:

Ingredients:

1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into ¼ inch dice 

½ cup cooked black beans

¼ red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped small

¼ green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped small

¼ medium red onion, chopped small

6 tablespoons pineapple juice

¼ cup juice from 2 limes

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed, chile minced

salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste, together in a medium bowl. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate to blend the flavors for at least 1 hour and up to 4 days.