2000s Recipes + Menus

Chicken, Mushroom, and Bok Choy Kebabs
Serves6
- Active time:45 min
- Start to finish:4 hr (includes marinating)
June 2008
Chicken’s dark meat is great for grilling because it stays very moist and really soaks up the flavors of a marinade—in this case, an Asian-inspired blend that balances sweet and savory. The addition of meaty mushrooms and bright green baby bok choy makes this a one-dish dinner you can take straight from grill to picnic table.
Learn the story behind this dish in our column, The Recipe.
Learn the story behind this dish in our column, The Recipe.
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup dry Sherry
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled ginger
- 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
- 1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 lb baby bok choy (5 to 6 heads)
- 1/2 lb large cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed flush with caps
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
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Equipment:
14 (12-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
Marinate chicken:
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Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt.
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Boil soy sauce, Sherry, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic paste, ginger, and sesame oil, then cool to room temperature.
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Pour half of marinade into a large sealable bag and chill remainder for basting. Add chicken to bag and marinate, chilled, turning bag occasionally, at least 3 hours.
Make kebabs:
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Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas); see “Grilling Procedure.”
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Meanwhile, halve bok choy lengthwise and blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water (2 Tbsp salt for 5 qt water) until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer with tongs to an ice bath to stop cooking. Pat bok choy very dry, then, bending leaves, thread 3 or 4 halves (through bulb and leaves) onto each of 3 or 4 skewers. Put on a tray.
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Toss mushrooms with vegetable oil. Thread mushrooms (through sides) and chicken (discard marinade) onto remaining skewers, alternating them. Put on another tray.
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Oil grill rack, then grill chicken-and-mushroom skewers, covered only if using a gas grill, 6 minutes. Turn over and baste with some of remaining marinade, then grill, turning and basting occasionally (but not during last 3 minutes), until chicken is just cooked through and mushrooms are tender, 6 to 8 minutes more.
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Lightly brush bok choy with oil and grill, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes total.
Cooks’ notes:
- Chicken can be marinated up to 8 hours.
- Chicken-and-mushroom skewers can be broiled in batches in a lightly oiled broiler pan 4 to 6 inches from heat, turning and basting occasionally, about 12 minutes total. Broil bok choy skewers, cut sides up, without turning, until charred in spots, about 2 minutes.
- Keywords
- street food,
- poultry,
- kebab,
- grilling,
- melissa roberts