Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kabobs

I Suck At Grilling.

I think it's official, I'm getting old. Why do I think I am old? Well, I think my metabolism has gone on strike. It's February, a whole month has gone by since Christmas and I'm still trying to fit into my favorite pair of pants. These pants fit fine all year long until I pigged out during the Holidays and I can't seem to lose a few lousy pounds. Scratch that, I can lose a few pounds if I exercise everyday for an hour and not eat anything "good" for a week and a half. But as soon as I indulge a bit, the few pounds I'd lost - find there way back, and fast.

So what's a hungry girl to do? I love my sweets and munchies. In fact, after putting the few pounds I'd lost this week, right back on after this weekend, I said frig it. And I just ate a delicious frosted brownie, trail mix and pretzel nuggets. I felt like I was punishing my metabolism for being "bad"! Stupid, huh? Now I just feel worse. I guess it's back to the drawing board.
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I love the way grilled food looks with it's beautiful charred markings. I love the way grilled food tastes with that deep smoky flavor. I love the idea of grilling, it just seems so fun. But I suck at grilling. I always tend to overcook the outside of the meat and under cook the inside. Even giving it extra time than the recipe suggests will result in a pink center. It is very frustrating.

Maybe it's because I am using an indoor grill pan on my electric stove top. I still have trouble with that electric stove top (I've always used gas stoves in the past). It seems like high heat is always too high and medium is not hot enough. It's hard to find that happy middle ground.
The only thing I like about it is that is easy to clean because it's all one piece. And it looks sexier than the gas top stoves. But in this case I'll take function over fashion any day.

Nevertheless, if cooked properly it was a really tasty dish. So give it a try and I'm sure yours will turn out better than mine did.

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kabobs

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 (10-inch) skewers, soaked in water for at least 20 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced, pressed, or zested on microplane
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 small zucchinis, peeled leaving stripes, cut in 3/4" rounds
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and salt. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Add 4 pieces of the chicken, 4 grape tomatoes, and 8 zucchini rounds onto the skewers, alternating them any way you like. Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over rice, or barley pilaf.