Grilled Chicken Kebabs (Spicy variation) & Breaded Sauteed Cauliflower - HTCE (10th ed.) pgs. 669 and 268

Chicken is healthy (low-cal and low-fat) and relatively cheap to make for dinner, that's why it's a on a repeat star in our kitchen. But, as with anything that repeats regularly, chicken gets pretty boring. This spicy chicken kebab recipe made it anything but boring. It was delicious and unexpected.
To begin with, I made a marinade of garlic, juice and zest of lime, cayenne pepper, cumin, tomato paste and onion. The mixture seemed a little dry, so I added about 1/2 a cup of water.

I then cut up two chicken breasts into cubes and mixed them with the marinade. I let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes, while I prepared the cauliflower that I had blanched in hot water for three minutes as Bittman recommends before the grilling process.


After removing the cauliflower and patting off the water slightly, I dipped the florets (not the stem) into an egg white wash and followed with bread crumbs. Bittman does not specify what type of breadcrumbs. I used gluten free crumbs, as I am trying to limit gluten in my diet. At the end I mixed the tiny florets at the bottom of the dish with the remaining egg white and breadcrumbs. I placed all of the cauliflower and mixture into a cast iron pan with a small amount of olive oil.

Next, I skewered the chicken. Two regular-sized cutlets made four kebabs. If I had added vegetables to the skewers (which I would do next time) it could have made eight kebabs.

The kebabs then went onto a flat cast iron pan next to the cauliflower.

Both cooked for about 15 minutes. I used a medium flame for the cauliflower and then reduced it to low while the chicken (on high, then cooked through. I turned the skewers every three to five minutes. Make sure to wear oven mitts if you're using metal skewers. They are HOT.

The chicken came out juicy and the cauliflower tasted so good that Ben and I said it felt like we were eating something that wasn't so healthy. Make sure to spritz the cauliflower breading with lemon juice.

I served it with romaine lettuce topped with blueberries, some extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. The sour of the lemons against the sweetness of the berries was delicious. Not a Bittman suggestion, but something that balanced the meal well.

What a lovely way to spend a Monday night.

How to Cook Everything, 10th Anniversary Edition, pgs. 669 and 268