Chipotle Chicken Skewers

This recipe was my favorite new recipe of the summer.  I ate it several times, and each time I was so sad when it was gone!  The recipe says it serves 6-8, and I would definitely make the whole amount, even if you're serving fewer than that.  The leftover chicken is fabulous, straight from the fridge.  I may or may not have eaten it for breakfast, just because I was so excited about it...

This chicken packs an incredible amount of flavor.  Making this was the first time I had ever used chipotle peppers and adobo sauce- holy moly are they tasty!  If you haven't ever used them before, know that they come together in a little can.  Like this-

They can be spicy (and I'm sure would be by themselves), but they work in this dish because 1) you scrape out the seeds, which is where most of the heat is located, and 2) the accompanying dip cools them off!  I have been using the leftover peppers & sauce in so many ways, too (because this recipe only uses a portion of the can).  My favorite is to mix the sauce with sour cream for an amazing burrito or enchilada topping (here's my favorite bean burrito recipe), or you could also mix it with mayonnaise to perk up a sandwich.  I only wish it hadn't taken 31 years for me to discover this little gem...

Anyway, I absolutely love this dish, and I'm sure you will too!  (PS- don't be intimidated by the length of the recipe.  It's not too hard, and it's worth it!)

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce
Printable version here

Chicken Skewers
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-5 medium chicken breasts)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before mincing to reduce spiciness)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 bamboo or metal skewers 

Creamy Dipping Sauce  (*I always have more dip than we use, so feel free to reduce this somewhat)
3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup lime juice, from 2-3 limes
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 30 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Cover the chicken (or place in a ziploc bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.
3. 30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
4. Preheat an oven broiler or gas/charcoal grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Recipe Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/05/chipotle-chicken-skewers-with-creamy-dipping-sauce.html 

Why I love it? It is full of flavor (it's sweet, spicy, fresh & creamy), and pretty healthy!  I've served this with various sides such as potato salad, fresh fruit, roasted potatoes, etc.  Next time I make this it'll probably be indoors (bye bye summer...), so I'll try to update this recipe with cooking directions for the stove/oven once I figure that out.