One Recipe, Two Meals: Chicken Kebabs

You might think kebabs are only fit for those faces with a more refined pallet, but guess what: they're not. Come hither and see why.

Related To:

One Recipe, Two Meals: Chicken Kebabs

Once a month Bev Weidner, of Bev Cooks fame and the mom of adorable twin littles, stops by to share an easy, one-two approach to dinner to keep everyone happy: Start by making one classic recipe for the kids in the house, then dress up that same dish with bold flavors for the adults.

Oh, heeeeey. We're making kebabs — for everyone! Even the little ones are included.

Kebabs don't have to be insanely fancy. They're kind of the perfect food for any and all generations. What's not to dig about bite-size pieces of grilled meat and veggie bliss, right?

Today I've basically prepared one meal, but I've tweaked it that way for them first, then this way for you. But I'm not about say "winner, winner chicken dinner" because I like having human friends.

One Recipe, Two Meals: Chicken Kebabs

You start with a pound of chicken, and cube it up. Half gets a dunk in a little bit of oil, and the other, hoisin sauce. Mmmmmm. It's so delicious. You'll grill the chicken (that was dipped in oil) with a simple pinch of salt and pepper for the kids, and you'll call it good for them.

Then you'll simply grill the adult-friendly hoisin chicken, whilst glazing it with a little more hoisin, because hoisin is always a good move to make in life. And when you serve this thing of beauty, be sure to garnish it with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. I'm already wanting leftovers.

Now, for the kids' veggies, go simple with red bell kebabs and some quickly boiled snow peas. And for you? Add a little more oomph with grilled red onion (and red bells!). See? It's the same basic meal, just a little spruced up for your palate.

The dipping sauce is a gorgeous mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic chili paste. If you think the garlic paste is a bit much for the kiddos, you can always leave it out.

Get kebabed already.

One Recipe, Two Meals: Chicken Kebabs
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup hoisin sauce, plus more for glazing
1/3 cup soy sauce
Juice from half a lime
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 scallions, chopped and divided
Sesame seeds, for garnish

12 ounces sugar snap peas, boiled for about five minutes, until crisp-tender

Once the chicken is cubed, evenly divide the pieces into two bowls. Drizzle one bowl with the tablespoon of olive oil, and drizzle the other with the hoisin sauce. Let the hoisin chicken marinate for a little bit while you cook the kids' meal.

Skewer the olive oil chicken onto a metal skewer. Season with a little salt and pepper, then place the kebab on a hot grill — indoor or outdoor! Slide half of the red bell pepper chunks onto another skewer and place on the grill. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and you get nice grill marks on the veggie.

While the kebabs grill, prepare your snow peas, as mentioned in the ingredient list. Drain and set aside.

Now, slide the remaining red bell pepper and onion chunks onto another skewer, and slide the hoisin chicken onto its own skewer. Grill the meat and veggies until cooked through and nicely charred on all sides, glazing the chicken with the extra hoisin sauce as you cook it.

To make the dipping sauce, place the soy sauce, lime juice, sambal oelek, brown sugar and olive oil in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Divide among two small cups and garnish with half the scallions.

Serve the kids' kebabs with the red bell pepper, snow peas and dipping sauce.

Serve the adults' hoisin kebabs with the onion and bell pepper kebabs. Garnish the chicken with the remaining chopped scallions and a nice sprinkling of sesame seeds. Don't forget the dipping sauce!

One Recipe, Two Meals: Chicken Kebabs

Gah, so good.

Follow Bev on her blog, Bev Cooks, if you think you can even handle more.

Next Up

One Recipe, Two Meals: Summery Pasta Salad

Pasta salad: always a winner, always a fan.

One Recipe, Two Meals: Pasta with Butter and Peas for the Kids, and a Veggie-Packed Primavera for You

We're having our pasta and eating it too! Here's one simple version for your kiddos, and one giant, glorious version for you.

4 Easy Ways to Meal Prep Chicken

All you need is four recipes to make 16 different chicken dishes.

How to Put Your Freezer to Work, Plus Frozen Meals Made Fresh

Learn how to safely freeze food, plus find Food Network Kitchens' easy recipes for kid-friendly dinners that can be made ahead, frozen and baked later.

Best 5 Grilled Chicken Recipes for Summer

Check out these grilled chicken dishes for summertime cooking from Guy, Bobby and Alton more Food Network chefs.

How to Tell If Chicken Is Bad

And how long does it last in the fridge?

Packing a Tasty Lunch for Kids

I know a lot of kids would be happy with eating chicken fingers or mac and cheese every day, but there are other healthy and yummy options out there. Check out our favorite recipes to try.

How to Defrost Chicken

The best ways to thaw chicken whether you have a day, a few hours or just minutes to spare.

6 Ways to Enjoy Buffalo Chicken

From salads and subs to pizza and dip, learn all-new ways to celebrate the classic flavors of Buffalo chicken just in time for game day.

How Long Does Raw Chicken Last In the Fridge?

And is it safe to eat after the sell-by date?