Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors

Lemon-Chicken Kebabs with Moroccan Herb Sauce

Serves 6

- 3 Meyer lemons, or 1 large orange and 1 regular lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus ½ cup, plus oil for brushing
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 12 fresh bay leaves (omit if not available)
- 1 large skinless, boneless whole chicken breast (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large sweet onions, each cut into 12 wedges
- 2 green onions, (white and green parts) coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil, cilantro, and flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 pinch each cayenne pepper, allspice, ground cumin, and cinnamon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

Using a vegetable peeler, peel twelve ½-inch-wide strips of zest from the top to the bottom of 2 of the lemons and set aside. (If using a mixture of oranges and lemons, peel zest from the orange.). Juice all 3 lemons (or the orange and lemon) into a measuring cup; you should have ½ cup.

In a large bowl, combine ¼ cup of the juice, the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the oregano, and bay leaves. Add the chicken, lemon strips, and onions and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Soak twelve 8-inch bamboo skewers in water to cover for 20 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the remaining ¼ cup juice, remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, the green onions, basil, cilantro, parsley, tarragon, orange zest, cayenne, allspice, cumin, and cinnamon. Process until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the remaining ½ cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream until thoroughly incorporated.

Thread the chicken on the skewers, alternating with the lemon strips, bay leaves, and onion pieces. Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the center of the grill, cover, and cook, turning once or twice, until opaque throughout, 5 to 8 minutes. Divide among 6 small plates. Serve the sauce in small bowls alongside.

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Contact: Tammie Barker, (800) 851-8923, ext. 7499, tbarker@amuniversal.com

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Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors

Authors: Lori Lyn Narlock
ISBN: 978-0-7407-6913-9
Format: Paperback with french flaps: 8 ¾ x 8, 152 pages
Price: $16.95 ($20.95 Canada)