Orange and Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato and Chicken Skewers

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Orange & honey glazed sweet potato & chicken skewers 3Make the last of summer rays and put these chicken skewers on the grill or barbie for a healthy lunch or light dinner.

Serves 6

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

What You’ll Need:

For the skewers

  • 4 large skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • Fresh bay leaves
  • Salt, to season
  • Oil, to drizzle (if using a griddle pan)
  • 2tbsp honey or sugar
  • Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

Marinade

  • 1-2 chillies, cut into thin strips
  • 2 spring onions, cut into thin strips
  • Fresh ginger, to taste, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • 3tbsp honey
  • Juice of 2 oranges
  • Cracked black pepper
  • 5 sprigs thyme

What To Do:

  • To make the marinade, put the chillies, spring onions, thyme and ginger in a large bowl. Add the honey, orange juice, black pepperand mix well. Coat the chicken in the marinade, cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
  • In the meantime cook the cubed sweet potatoes in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • When the chicken has marinated for long enough, drain and reserve the marinade. Build your skewers starting with a cube of sweet potato, followed by a piece of chicken and a bay leaf. Repeat this pattern until each skewer is full. When all the skewers have been prepared, season well with salt.
  • Cook on the BBQ or a griddle pan until the juices from the chicken run clear, turning frequently.
  • While the chicken is cooking, pour the marinade in a pan, add the honey or sugar and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts boiling, turn the heat down and reduce the marinade to a thick syrup, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
  • When the chicken is cooked, coat it immediately with the cooked marinade and serve with salad on the side.

What You’ll Need:

For the salad

  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled
  • 1 raw beetroot, peeled
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • 1 orange
  • Small bunch mint
  • Small bunch flat parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • Salt (optional) and cracked black pepper
  • 5-8tbsp extra virgin olive oil

What To Do:

  • Using a potato peeler, slice the flesh of the beetroot into thin strips, place in a large bowl of cold water and leave to soak. (You will need to change the water a few times to make sure the beetroot doesn’t stain the rest of the ingredients).
  • Cut the flesh of the sweet potato into strips and place in a large bowl. Add the fennel.
  • With a potato peeler, remove the zest from the orange, cut into thin strips, and add to the sweet potato. Then remove the peel from the orange with a knife, and cut the flesh into segments. Add to the sweet potato.
  • When the beetroot has stopped losing colour, drain and spin in a salad spinner to remove any excess fluid, then add to the bowl with the sweet potato.
  • Pick the leaves from the mint and parsley, and add to the salad together with the garlic, salt if used, cracked black pepper and some oil. Toss and serve.

Tips

  • If you like a more “sticky” feel, return the skewers to the grill, but keep an eye on them as the marinade will caramelise very quickly.
  • Use mushrooms or aubergines instead of meat for a vegetarian option.
  • For a smoky flavour, soak a good handful of hickory or oak wood chips in cold water for an hour or so, then carefully sprinkle them into the barbecue and place the skewers around but not directly on top.
  • Burning herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme or even the leftover shell of the oranges on the BBQ will add extra flavour to your skewers.
  • The salad can be prepared well in advance as it won’t become soggy.

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