SCD Basque-Rubbed Chicken and Veggie Skewers & Chimichurri Dipping Sauce

 At times it can be discouraging to watch cooking shows and find that it is impossible to turn the recipe into one that is gut-friendly without killing the integrity behind the intended flavors. So the other day when I was watching The Nate Show I was elated to see that the cooking feature of the show was entirely SCD-friendly! Yay! So of course I made all of the dishes, here is how they turned out:

(btw: This is by no means my own recipe, I lay no claim to its originality. See here for original recipes)

Basque-Rubbed Chicken and Veggie Skewers

Ingredients

12 8-inch wooden skewers, soaked

3 whole chickens, cut into bite-size (1/2 inch inch) strips or cubes

2 whole lemons, cut into wedges for the skewers

1 whole orange, cut into wedges for the skewers

1 red bell pepper, cut into wedges for the skewers

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into wedges for the skewers

For the Basque Blend:

3 tablespoons dried finely ground orange peel

1 1/2 tablespoons ground chili powder

1 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Rub the chicken pieces with sprinkling of salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the orange peel, chili powder, sea salt and black pepper. Rub this mixture evenly over the chicken pieces. Let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to high. (or bake them)

4. Thread skewers with 3 or 4 pieces of marinated chicken, alternating with small wedges of lemons, oranges, red and yellow bell peppers.

5. Place skewers on an area of the grill with no direct flame. Grill about 8 to 10 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally, until meat is browned on all sides and the juices run clear.

6. Arrange the chicken and veggie skewers on a platter.

Personal notes: I found I do not like orange peel on spicy chicken, doesn't blend well for my palate. I will omit the next time. Also, I used 2 chicken breasts, 1 orange, 1 lemon, and 1 yellow bell pepper and omitted the rest.

 Chimichurri Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 bay leaves
1 fresh ancho chile, with seeds, coarsely chopped
1 fresh Serrano or jalapeño chile, with seeds, coarsely chopped
1/2 TBS salt
3/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely minced fresh oregano
1/4 cup of minced basil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 packet Ranch Dips Mix (see here for recipe)
3/4 cup Greek-dripped yogurt

 Blend all the ingredients except for the yogurt together until becomes a sauce, then pour over yogurt and mix. Personal notes: I thought it was a bit parsley-ey (too much) and also too runny for my taste, I would 1/2 the amount of ingredients except for the yogurt next time to make it thicker. Also I omitted the bay leaves.

Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
3 pounds Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 TBS unsalted butter
¼ cup capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Directions
1. Prepare the Brussels sprouts by peeling off the tired outside leaves and cutting off the stem. Mark the core where the stem was with an X using a paring knife. Cut the sprouts in half.
2. In a 4 quart sauce pan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Blanch the sprouts for 10 minutes, or until fork tender.
3. In a 10-inch sauté pan, brown the butter and add in the sprouts. Cook on medium high heat, rolling the sprouts in the pan, until the sprouts are well caramelized on all sides, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, and add the capers and lemon juice. Sprinkle with cheese.


Personal notes: These are perfect! The lemon really cuts the bitterness of the sprouts I omitted the capers, but everything else turned out great! Yumm, I never thought I liked brussels sprouts before! 

(no picture of these, sorry; my husband and I ate them so fast!)