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Caribbean Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Banana Salad
Caribbean Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Banana Salad
4 Reviews
From: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2011
A Caribbean-inspired marinade for these chicken-and-pineapple kebabs is flavored with pineapple juice, soy sauce, plenty of spices and spiked with rum. It's moderately spicy from the use of jalapeño, but not nearly as spicy as the well-known jerk marinade, which uses the extremely hot Scotch bonnet chile. If spicy-hot is not your thing, leave the jalapeño out or use half. The creamy banana salad is a soothing counterpoint, but skip it if you like.
- By: Bruce Aidells
Ingredients 6 servings
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Original recipe yields 6 servings
Nutrition per serving may change if servings are adjusted.
- Marinade & Chicken
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup dark rum
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup chopped scallions
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- Creamy Banana Salad
- 1 cup reduced-fat or nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
- ½ teaspoon dark brown sugar, or to taste
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 3 almost-ripe medium bananas, cut into ½-inch cubes
- Pinch of salt, or to taste
- Basting Sauce & kebabs
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup fresh pineapple pieces (1 inch)
- 1 sweet or red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
Preparation
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- To marinate chicken: Puree pineapple juice, rum, soy sauce, scallions, jalapeno (if using), molasses, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander, cayenne, cinnamon and allspice in a blender until smooth. Place chicken in a 1-gallon sealable plastic bag, add the marinade and turn to coat. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
- To prepare banana salad: About 20 minutes before you're ready to prepare the kebabs, combine yogurt, onion, cilantro (if using), mint, lime zest, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Gently stir in bananas and salt. Adjust seasoning with more brown sugar and/or salt, if desired.
- To prepare basting sauce & kebabs: Preheat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-heat fire in a charcoal grill. (No grill? See Broiler Variation.)
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and stir in brown sugar and mustard; bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 6 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, thread the chicken onto 6 skewers, alternating with pineapple and onion pieces.
- Grill the kebabs, basting with the basting sauce and turning frequently, until the chicken is firm to the touch, 10 to 16 minutes total. (If flare-ups occur as you baste, use a squirt bottle to put them out or move the kebabs away until the flame dies down.) Serve the kebabs with the banana salad.
- Equipment: 6 (12- to 14-inch) skewers
- Broiler Variation: Position a rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan (or a wire rack set on a large baking sheet) with cooking spray. Broil the skewers, turning once, until the chicken is firm to the touch, 7 to 9 minutes per side.
- People with celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity should use soy sauces that are labeled "gluten-free," as soy sauce may contain wheat or other gluten-containing sweeteners and flavors.
- Per serving: 341 calories; 8 g fat(2 g sat); 3 g fiber; 34 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 36 mcg folate; 123 mg cholesterol; 23 g sugars; 7 g added sugars; 195 IU vitamin A; 25 mg vitamin C; 79 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 483 mg sodium; 708 mg potassium
- Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (42% daily value)
- Carbohydrate Servings: 2½
- Exchanges: 1½ fruit, ½ other carbohydrate, 3 lean meat
Reviews 4
March 15, 2015
By: SarahOwens
Amazing flavors come together perfectly
I took the time to make this today with help from Hubby at the grill. I just can't say enough about this recipe. I worried as we started cooking, mainly because I'm not a big fan of curry powder, but as usual, I was worried about nothing. I enjoy cooking as much as eating good food and this recipe was the epitome of both. I loved making this. And eating it was a bigger reward than I expected. It's absolutely wonderful. The flavors came together in the end for the perfect meal. (I served the kebabs with sticky rice). That banana salad...wow! I'm so happy there's some leftovers. We'll save and make again and again. Thank you Eating Well!!
June 24, 2014
By: EatingWell User
This is wonderful but I would do away with the onions. The Banana salad was very tasty
July 01, 2013
By: EatingWell User
tantalizing flavor profile
I made this last night using thigh meat instead of chicken breasts. My family loved the unusual flavors and tried to guess all the ingredients in the marinade. Several compliments. I will definitely use this recipe for entertaining.
I didn't make the banana salad, I served with a rice pilaf, and a chilled cucumber soup.
Pros: simple
July 09, 2011
By: noreciperequired
Great summer dish
I really liked this dish on the grill. It's great for a party, and it was easy to do. I pulled together a pear, Gorgonzola, and walnut salad, served on endive - so another finger food - see it here http://tiny.cc/4ts05 - for the perfect complete meal. Thanks!!
