Chimichurri Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

• 1 cup Italian parsley, packed
• 1/2 cup cilantro, packed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red onion
• 8 oz button mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 4 cups cooked rice

Directions

1. If you’re working with wooden skewers, set them in a shallow pan and cover them with 1 inch or 2 of water while you get everything else ready. The soak helps protect them from scorching under the grill or broiler’s direct heat.
2. Make the chimichurri first. Strip the leaves from the parsley and cilantro stems, then finely chop the herbs. Mince the garlic.
3. In a bowl, mix together the parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt until you have a loose, herby sauce.
4. Slice the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Count the pieces so you have a rough idea of how many should go onto each skewer. Put the chicken in a bowl, add 2 spoonfuls of the chimichurri, and save the rest for finishing the cooked kebabs. Stir until the chicken is coated.
5. Cut the bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and red onion into 1-1.5 inch chunks. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, then toss until the oil lightly coats everything.
6. Move the oven rack so the top of a baking sheet or broiler pan will sit about 5 inches below the broiler. Switch on the broiler so it can heat.
7. Set 2 wire racks over a baking sheet, or use a broiler pan. Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers in any order you like. If you have about 24 pieces of chicken, plan on 3 pieces of chicken for each skewer, with vegetables tucked in between.
8. Arrange the kebabs on the prepared baking sheet or broiler pan. When the skewers are all assembled, slide the pan under the broiler. Cook until the vegetables on top are just starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Stay close, because broilers can move fast. Take the pan out of the oven, carefully turn the kebabs over, and return the pan to the broiler. Cook the other side until it starts to brown, about 4-5 minutes.
9. Serve the chimichurri chicken kebabs over rice, spooning some of the reserved chimichurri over the top.