If skewers are one of your favorite summer meals, this episode of Last-Minute Meals with Paola is for you. Pastry chef Paola Velez shares her recipe for Chicken, Mango, and Piña Skewers, which are colorful, loaded with fruits and vegetables, and easy to make. All you need to do is prep your ingredients, toss them with some spices, oil, and fresh lime juice, and thread them on skewers. After roasting them in the oven for just under 30 minutes and then giving them a quick dive under the broiler, they're ready to go. Serve them at your next dinner party — they'd make a striking (and delicious) presentation on your table.
To learn how to make these skewers, read on for Velez's method and follow along with the video here.
Prep the Fruit and Vegetables
Before you can thread the skewers, you need to cut up all of the fruits, vegetables, and chicken thighs. Velez demonstrates how to break down a pineapple, and also peel and cut a mango. (Place a towel on your cutting board if it gets too slippery.)
Season and Stir Together
Next, get the red onion, red and green bell pepper, mango, and pineapple into a large bowl. Pour in some avocado oil and fresh lime juice, and season the mixture with granulated garlic, ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Toss everything together so it's evenly coated and set aside.
As for the chicken, stir together the seasonings for it in a small bowl; you'll mix crushed red pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, ground black pepper, paprika, ground oregano, and cayenne. Place the (boneless and skinless) chicken thigh pieces in a medium bowl, and then add the spices, avocado oil, and some fresh lime juice, tossing to coat. Season the mixture with kosher salt and get ready to assemble.
Thread the Skewers
You can use either large metal or wooden skewers for this recipe. If you're using wooden ones, make sure to soak them in warm water for 15 minutes before using so they don't burn. The fun part comes next — threading all of the fruit, vegetable, and chicken pieces to create the colorful skewers. Add one piece of pineapple first, followed by a red or green bell pepper, one or two pieces of onion, a piece of mango, and finally, a piece of chicken. Repeat threading on that skewer two more times until it's filled, and then repeat with the remaining skewers.
As you finish each skewer, place it on the prepared metal rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Then, roast them in a 450°F oven on the lower rack for 14 minutes. Use tongs to flip them over, and then roast for another 14 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. At this point, transfer the skewers to the top rack in the upper third of the oven and give them a quick broil on high until they're lightly golden in spots.
Serve
Once the skewers are done, get them all on a serving platter and sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Add a garnish of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice and you've got a summery, satisfying meal.
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