Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Skewers

These skewers are delicious with couscous and hummus.

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5), cut into 1 ½-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for dressing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds
16 medium cipollini onions (about 10 ounces), peeled
16 medium cremini mushrooms (about 8 ounces), trimmed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

See More: Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family

1. Soak ten 12-inch wooden skewers in water 30 minutes; drain. Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, toss chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Divide chicken among 4 skewers. Skewer vegetables separately, using 2 skewers for each vegetable.

2. Place onion skewers on grill; cook 5 minutes. Add chicken and zucchini skewers; cook, turning occasionally, 5 minutes. Add mushroom skewers; cook until chicken and vegetables are cooked through and charred in places, about 10 minutes. Dress with lemon zest and juice, oil, and parsley. Skewers can be assembled and refrigerated up to 3 hours ahead; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.

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Steadying Kabobs

To ensure that kabob ingredients obey when you try to flip them – instead of staying put as the skewer spins – spear them on two skewers. The extra handle also decreases the likelihood of meat or vegetables breaking free and dropping into the coals.

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Oiling the Grates

For flawless grill marks, start with a clean, oiled grill. Scrape the grates with a metal bristle brush to remove any charred bits. After grill is heated, carefully wipe grates with a lightly oiled cloth (hold it with long tongs) to remove any remaining char and to coat the grill.

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Types of Skewers

Short or Long
Shorter skewers are perfect for picking up appetizers or for passed hors d'oeuvres. Use the long ones when you plan to serve the food off the skewer.

Two-Pronged
These skewers are designed for foods that are likely to spin when being turned on the grill, such as shrimp, scallops, peppers, and mushrooms. You can achieve the same result by threading the food through two skewers at once.

Wooden
Wooden skewers need to be soaked in water for at least 15 minutes to prevent them from catching fire on the grill.