Vegetable and Chicken Kabobs with Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 6–8 / To give these kabobs a juicy twist, add fresh fruit, such as pineapple, mango, apricots, or peaches. The deliciously thick red pepper sauce also pairs well with other grilled meats, seafood, and tofu—even scrambled eggs.

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari
1 large red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large red onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 cobs sweet corn, cut into 1-inch rounds
3 zucchinis, chopped into 1/3-inch rounds
16 cherry tomatoes, left whole
16 cremini mushrooms, left whole
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch pieces

Red Pepper Sauce
2 large red bell peppers
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup sweet red chili sauce or roasted red chili paste (such as Thai Kitchen)
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Prepare sauce first: Place 2 red bell peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler, rotating until blackened all over. Place in a small covered pot for several minutes.
2. Rinse roasted red peppers to remove blackened skin. Halve; remove stems and seeds. Purée peppers in a blender. Stir in lime juice, orange juice, ginger, sweet chili sauce, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a small saucepan over low heat.
3. In a small bowl, mix oil and tamari. Thread vegetable and chicken pieces onto eight long kabob skewers. Brush each with tamari mixture, reserving some for basting.
4. Preheat grill or broiler. Cook kabobs, basting with tamari mixture and turning until vegetables are browned and chicken is cooked through. Serve with warmed red pepper sauce.

This FUNctional Kitchen was provided by Boulder, Colorado-based chef Aria Seidl.

PER SERVING: 357 cal, 24% fat cal, 10g fat, 2g sat fat, 88mg chol, 40g protein, 28g carb, 5g fiber, 627mg sodium