Grilled Yakitori Chicken & Zucchini Skewers

This is yummy dish that's perfect for grilling on a nice summer evening. I was looking for a fun but easy dish to make and stumbled upon a recipe from skinnytaste.com while in the grocery store parking lot on my way home from work... I'm kind of bad at meal planning. I tweaked a few things due to preference and convenience and it came out awesome! 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Honey
3 Garlic Cloves, pressed/chopped
1 lb Chicken Tenderloin, cut into 1 inch pieces
5 large Green Onions, cut 1-inch-long
1 medium Zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rings
approximately 10 skewers

DIRECTIONS

If you're using disposable bamboo skewers, soak them in water during prep so they don't burn!

Bring rice wine vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, honey and garlic to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pan, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place in a ziplock bag; pour half of the marinade over the chicken. Place the zucchini in a second ziplock bag and pour the remaining marinade over the zucchini. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, I recommend marinating your zucchini for less time (maybe 15 minutes) - the saltiness from the yakitori sauce is really soaked up into them.

Thread the zucchini onto skewers, alternating with green onion, reserving the marinade for basting (you can do this while your chicken marinades for an extra 15 minutes). Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with the remaining green onion, discard the chicken marinade - salmonella, yuck! Ain't nobody got time for that! 

Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. When hot, spray with oil then reduced heat to medium; grill the zucchini and chicken skewers about 5 to 6 minutes on each side brushing both sides of the skewers with the yakitori sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.

I served this dinner with A Taste of Thai's boxed Garlic Basil Coconut Rice and it was delicious and EASY! It would be great with a little spicy mayo for dipping... it would give it a sort of Hibachi-like twist. 

This dish would also make for a great appetizer for a party or get together! And how about substituting the chicken out for shrimp... I'll have to try that next!