Grilled Chicken & Plum Kebabs

I know I’ve been all about the grill recently but that’s because it’s been so hot I just don’t want to turn on the oven. The weather’s been so nice though, I don’t mind cooking outside. As a matter of fact, I’d like to do it more often. The good news is that it appears it’s going to be hot for awhile here in Southern California so I’m pretty sure I’ll be doing a lot more grilling before the temperature drops.

The heat’s not the only thing that’s still around though, plums and pluots are still in season. Now, if you know anything about me, you know that I love stone fruits. Peaches, plums, cherries… as soon as summer comes around, I’m at the farmer’s market stocking up on these luscious beauties because unfortunately they’re not around for very long. Cherries are usually only around for about a month, peaches maybe three. But plums and pluots, they’re around from June all the way through at least October. That’s five months. Five. So, I have at least two more months to cook and eat those beautiful round little orbs.

I could make jams or pies, crumbles or sorbets, the options are endless. And while I love all the sweet, dessert-like options, I also love turning sweet things into savory foods. Last summer I made a fruit salsa that I ladled over a steak. It gave the salty meat a sweetness that was delightful and a tang that reminded me what I loved so much about summer and its produce. So, this year when I saw a recipe in America’s Test Kitchen that added plums to some grilled chicken kebabs, I knew I had to try it. Just like the steak with the fruit salsa, the plums added a delectable sweet tang that complimented the savory chicken wonderfully. But best of all, the grilled plums didn’t only delight Hubs and I, they also made both boys super happy. They were so happy in fact, they finished every last plum and piece of chicken. Any recipe that does that, gets a big thumbs up in my book.

So, since it looks like the temperature isn’t dropping any time soon, and I know that plums will be around for at least another 6 weeks, it’s safe to say these kebabs will be on my dinner table a few more times this summer. Why not add them to yours?

Grilled Chicken & Plum Kebabs

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 plums, pitted and quartered
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to 350°F.
2. Whisk honey, lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil together in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and plums to the bowl and toss to coat. Thread the chicken and plums onto skewers and save the remaining glaze. Season the chicken and plums with salt and pepper.
3. Spray the grill grates with oil. Grill the skewers over a hot fire turning and brushing frequently with the leftover glaze until the plums and meat are slightly charred, about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the kebabs to a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with a salad.