Adding maple syrup to your marinade adds a nice sweetness to chicken or pork, and also helps with caramelization on the meat when you grill it.
Skewers of grilled apple and colourful bell pepper make for an easy side dish.
Servings: 4-5 chicken skewers
Ingredients
500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
Granny Smith apples, cubed and peeled , 10-12 pieces
Red and orange peppers, 16 pieces about 1-inch long
Marinade:
½ cup apple juice
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
3 tbsps maple syrup
1 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps Dijon mustard
2 tbsps olive oil
½ tsp Chinese five spice
Method
In a large Ziploc bag (or a bowl) combine the apple juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, olive oil and Chinese five spice. Whisk or shake the bag to combine.
Add the cubed chicken breast and marinate for two hours or overnight.
Soak 7 to 8 wood skewers for 10 minutes before cooking. Put the cubes of marinated chicken on the kabobs, leaving a little space between each to allow for cooking on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
Create your side skewers by alternating 1-inch pieces of red and orange peppers with 1-inch cubes of peeled Granny Smith apples.
Grill on medium for about 2 to 3 minutes each side or until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are softened.
TIP: You can brush the veggie/apple skewers with some olive oil before cooking to prevent them from sticking to your grill.
Sue Riedl