Grilled BBQ Chicken Kabobs

Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer. Last week of school. The year winds down. Marcus is finishing 8th grade as the top debater in his class and a boy who reads Bryan Stevenson and argues about textbook representation and carries his anger on the inside where it fuels his purpose instead of burning his bridges. He is fourteen. He is impossible and extraordinary and he is going to high school in the fall and I am terrified and ready and neither.

Set the Table expansion begins: I recruited eight new girls over the past two weeks. Twenty total. Two Saturday sessions: Group A at 9 AM, Group B at 11 AM. Destiny is leading Group B — she is seventeen now, a senior next year, culinary school applications pending, and she runs a kitchen like she was born in one. Which, in a way, she was — born in the Set the Table kitchen, three years ago, when she was fifteen and asked "What's the difference?" The difference is everything. The difference is twenty girls instead of six. The difference is a church board that said yes. The difference is Destiny teaching the next group the way I taught her, and the line extending, and Mama's stool in the corner, empty but present, always present.

A local news station called. They want to do a segment on Set the Table for their "community spotlight" series. A THREE-MINUTE segment. On television. About my program. About the girls. I said yes and immediately called Derek in a state of controlled panic. He said, "Wear the green blouse." I said, "That's what Vanessa said." He said, "Vanessa and I agree on important things."

Memorial Day cookout at the townhouse: burgers, ribs, corn, the full summer launch. Derek and Curtis at the grill together now — not a competition, a collaboration, which happened organically and which I observe with the quiet joy of a woman watching two men she loves learn to occupy the same space. Marcus and Isaiah played basketball in the driveway. Jasmine and Zoe made friendship bracelets in the backyard. The constellation is becoming a constellation. Stars fixed. Orbits stable. Light steady.

Derek and Curtis at the grill together — not competing, just collaborating — that image is going to live in me for a long time. I wanted a recipe that honored that energy: something you build piece by piece, put over an open flame, and share with the people who have learned to occupy the same space as you. These Grilled BBQ Chicken Kabobs were exactly that. Easy enough that the grill masters could take ownership, smoky and saucy enough to feel like a real summer statement, and eaten by everyone — Marcus, Isaiah, Jasmine, Zoe, all of them — before the afternoon was done.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup BBQ sauce, divided (plus extra for serving)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Metal or wooden skewers (if wooden, soaked in water 30 minutes)

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, combine the chicken cubes with 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
Build the kabobs. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers, alternating with pieces of red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion. Leave a small gap between each piece so the heat can circulate evenly.
Grill the first side. Place kabobs on the preheated grill. Cook for 5–6 minutes without moving, until grill marks form and the chicken releases easily from the grates.
Flip and glaze. Turn the kabobs over. Brush the cooked side generously with the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Cook for another 5–6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Final glaze and rest. Brush the second side with any remaining BBQ sauce during the last minute of cooking. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Serve. Slide chicken and vegetables off the skewers onto a platter. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Grilled BBQ Chicken Kabobs — The Cookout That Became a Constellation