Chimichurri Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs + Smitten with Squash Giveaway! (AIP, Paleo)

If you’re a squash fan – and particularly if you’re a gardener swimming in squash right exactly now – boy do I have a treat for you. Let me introduce you to Smitten with Squash, your new best friend.

This recipe is from the book and I’m so excited to share it with you because it means big things for my sweet and talented friend Amanda Paa of HeartBeet Kitchen, a stunning local blog loaded with fresh, vibrant recipes. Amanda was writing Smitten with Squash while I was writing Twin Cities Chef’s Table and we commiserated a LOT about holing up all winter and finding the grit to push through to the end.And just look what she created! A beautiful book that explores the incredible versatility of squash while bursting with clever, mouth-watering recipes. The book is divided into summer and winter squash, by variety, and I am 100% sure you haven’t imagined even half of the recipes she came up with. From Bumper Crop Spicy Squash Pickles (a recipe beautifully shared yesterday by Brenda Score over on A Farm Girl’s Dabbles), to Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Blondie Bars, to Savory Spaghetti Squash Cakes with Poached Eggs & Harissa, there is a delectable dish for every palate and every meal of the day. (It just so happens that Amanda is also gluten-free and provides gluten-free options for all of her baked treats- yes.)I chose to share these chicken and vegetable kabobs for their flavor-packed, weeknight dinner ease. You might know how passionate I am about chimichurri – one of the world’s great (and under-appreciated) fresh sauces – which made the recipe leap off the page and into my cravings. Amanda’s version is fabulous – the addition of basil really brings out the natural sweetness of summer squash, and using some of the chimichurri as a marinade before cooking reveals Amanda’s genius in coaxing maximum flavor from a few fresh ingredients, a skill she employs throughout the book. I adapted the recipe a bit to make it Autoimmune Protocol/AIP-friendly, namely skipping the jalapeño in the chimichurri and substituting pineapple for red bell pepper on the skewers. (A side of tostones or warm AIP plantain tortillas would be very, very welcome here, mmm…)

Click below to enter the giveaway! And for a sneak-peek of Smitten with Squash recipes all week long, here’s the whole #SquashLove schedule:

Monday: Brenda from a Farmgirl’s Dabbles – Spicy Summer Squash Refrigerator Pickles
Tuesday: Stephanie from Fresh Tart – Chimichurri Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs (hi!)
Wednesday: Robin from Robin Writes – Garam Masala Dusted Pattypans & Crispy Chickpeas with Tahini Sauce
Thursday: Lindsey from Dolly & Oatmeal – Banana Oat Streusel Summer Squash Muffins
Friday: Laurie from Relishing It – Cauliflower Zucchini Gratin
Saturday: Winnie from Healthy Green Kitchen – Cherry Tomato & Summer Squash Cobbler with Rosemary Biscuits

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Come meet Amanda in person – she is one of the world’s most delightful people, and not just because she’s never met a farmers market she didn’t love – at Solo Vino Wines this Friday, July 25, from 5-7 pm. I’ll be there getting my copy of Smitten with Squash signed! In case you can’t be there Friday, she’ll also being doing a cooking demonstration and signing books at the Minneapolis Farmers Market on August 9. Follow Amanda @amanda_paa on Instagram and Twitter and HeartBeet Kitchen on Facebook for more demos and signings. Smitten with Squash is also available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Chimichurri Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs

From Smitten with Squash by Amanda Paa of HeartBeet Kitchen
Serves 4

For the chimichurri:

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup loosely packed parsley
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
1/2 cup loosely packed basil
1/2 jalapeño pepper, sliced (optional)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

For the kabobs:

Cut the following into one-inch pieces –
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 red bell pepper (I used 1/3 pineapple, peeled and cored)
wooden skewers

For the chimichurri:

Add salt and garlic to bowl of food processor (the salt helps keep the garlic from sticking to the blade). Process for 10 seconds, scrape down bowl, and run for 10 more seconds. Add herbs and jalapeño. Process for 20 seconds, scrape down bowl, and repeat. With blade running, add vinegar, then slowly add olive oil. Reserve 1/4 cup of sauce. Place half of remaining sauce along with chicken in a sealable plastic bag and the other half with vegetables in a separate bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 40 minutes.

For the kabobs:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers, and thread vegetables separately onto additional skewers. Grill kabobs for 5 minutes, turn, and cook until kabobs are golden brown and cooked through, another 8-10 minutes.

Arrange kabobs on a platter and drizzle with reserved chimichurri.

P.S. Amanda—and Brenda and Laurie too—are crazy-talented local food bloggers who belong to Fortify: A Food Community (formerly Minnesota Food Bloggers), an active group of amateur and professional food enthusiasts that gathers every few months to celebrate food, host educational events, and raise money for local charities. If you love Pinterest recipes, don’t miss our Fortify board for delicious, homegrown inspiration.