The combination of orange, black olives, fennel, and whole-grain mustard gives these chicken kebabs an assertive French personality. Thighs are our favorite cut from the bird—they stay juicy even over the high heat of a charcoal grill. Pair these skewers with a fluffy rice pilaf and a dry French rosé, served very cold.
- Yield: 6 kebabs
- Difficulty: Medium
- Total: 4 hrs
Ingredients (8)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 6 bamboo skewers
- 1 head of fennel, trimmed, cored, and cut into small wedges
- 24 pitted black olives, such as kalamata
- Finely chopped, fresh Italian parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish and season all over with salt. In a bowl, stir together the mustard, orange zest, and orange juice; pour over the chicken thighs. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- When you’re ready to grill, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes.
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over medium heat. Thread the meat, fennel, and olives onto the skewers, discarding the marinade and distributing the ingredients evenly among the skewers.
- Grill, turning once, until the meat and fennel are cooked through and nicely charred, about 10 minutes (move off the heat if the skewers start to get too brown). Transfer to a platter, garnish with parsley if you like, and serve.