Cilantro-and-Lime Marinated Chicken Fajita Kebabs Recipe

Name: Cilantro-and-Lime Marinated Chicken Fajita Kebabs
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems; 1/3 cup lime juice from about 6 limes; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled; 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin; 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (see note); 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; 1 large white onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes and separated into 3-layer segments

Why It Works

Chicken thighs stay juicier and have more flavor compared to chicken breasts.
The cilantro and lime-heavy marinade gives the chicken a bright and fresh character.
Red and green bell peppers and white onion soften well over direct heat and round out the fajita flavor.

When it comes to fajitas, I'm a skirt-steak fiend, through and through. It's such a flavorful cut that I had almost no interest in making fajitas with other more bland and lifeless proteins, like chicken. A few years back, though, I decided it was time to give poultry a try. I set out on a mission to devise a winning recipe for the grill. After a whole lot of experimentation, I came up with a great marinade—a quick purée of grassy cilantro, tart lime juice, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cumin, and crushed red pepper—that brings big fajita flavor.

Searching for ways to get more mileage out of that marinade, I wondered how it would hold up in kebab form. The answer? Very well. Which is great news, since I'm a big kebab fan—just check out my grilled kebab guide if you have any doubts.

The cubed and marinated chicken thighs stay nice and juicy over a hot fire, retaining a bright and tangy flavor that, when combined with bell peppers and onion, tastes just like a great fajita—minus the tortilla, of course.

June 2014

Cilantro-and-Lime Marinated Chicken Fajita Kebabs Recipe

Prep 50 mins

Cook 15 mins

Active 45 mins

Marinating Time 60 mins

Total 2 hrs 5 mins

Serves 6 servings

Keep Screen Awake

1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup lime juice from about 6 limes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (see note)
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 large white onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes and separated into 3-layer segments

Place cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, salt, cumin, and crushed red pepper in the jar of blender. Pureé until smooth. Place chicken cubes in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour in marinade and seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Place in refrigerator and marinate for at least 1 and up to 5 hours.

If using wooden skewers, soak in water 30 minutes prior to grilling.

Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Thread chicken onto skewers, alternating with pepper and onion squares.

Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Alternatively, set all burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate. Grill skewers until well browned on all sides and center of chicken registers between 160-165°F (71°-74°C) on an instant read thermometer, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer skewers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Blender, grill, wooden skewers

Notes

If chicken thighs do not cube well, cut the meat into strips larger than 1 1/2 inches and fold it over when threading onto the skewers to make a cube-like shape.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
465	Calories
33g	Fat
9g	Carbs
36g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	465
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g	42%
Saturated Fat 8g	40%
Cholesterol 193mg	64%
Sodium 687mg	30%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 53mg	265%
Calcium 38mg	3%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 529mg	11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ingredients

Special Equipment

Notes

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