I realize that there are a bunch of marinates out there, and I’ve tried more than a few. Recently, I’ve cut back on the complex stuff and let the veggies and meat stand on their own more. More of tasting the nicely charred food and less burnt spices.

This is an easy “middle Eastern” one that goes well with a side of couscous.

1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed/minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice, sometimes I use Ship Curry Powder instead
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

In a small bowl, mix together above marinate ingredients. Make sure they are well combined. Don’t bother with measuring spoons, just do it by palm & eye.

Cut up a chicken breast into chunks. Cut up red (or white/yellow) onions into quartered chunks. Cut up some peppers (bell, or whatever you have) into quartered chunks. If you have other kebab type veggies, do some of those. Everything should be about the same size, and big enough to put on a wooden skewer.

Put the meat and veggies in a airtight container, pour marinate over, shake around so everything is well coated. Let sit while the grill heats up. (Since there are no acids in here, you can keep overnight without “cold cooking” the chicken).

Alternating veggies and meat, thread onto wooden skewers. Cook on a hot covered grill, turning every couple of minutes, until charred and cooked through. You know your grill best, so just keep an eye on them and keep turning until they look delicious.

Serve with a bed of couscous.