Recipe Background
CBR Kabobs, made special with ranch seasoning and bacon, offer a quick, flavorful grilling experience.
The first time I made CBR Kabobs was during an impromptu barbecue on a sunny game-day afternoon. My cousin and I decided that the crisper-less fridge, with just chicken, bacon, and a sad pantry packet of ranch seasoning, needed a transformation. We turned it into a lively cook-off in the backyard, experimenting with whatever we could muster. I remember the thrill of cutting the chicken into perfect cubes, practicing the knife skills I'd honed during culinary school. It was a turning point in my culinary journey—a simple gathering that reminded me of the joy in spontaneous, stress-free cooking.
With the grill fired up, I marinated the chicken in my concoction of olive oil, pepper, and ranch seasoning, hoping the flavors would evoke a tangy, smoky delight. Microwaving bacon to pre-cook it had seemed like a shortcut; a trick I learned from a fellow chef who believed in efficiency without compromise. It worked like magic—prepping the bacon helped it crisp perfectly on the grill. Threading the kabobs was like crafting edible art, arranging chicken and bacon with care.
When we finally tasted them, everyone was captivated. The skewers had captured that unique, slightly rebellious flavor combination that just worked. We sat around sharing stories, each bite filled with laughter and the scent of grilling perfection. That day, I learned how a few unassuming ingredients could create something memorable. My cousin jokingly called them 'game-day magic sticks,' and the name, much like the recipe, stuck with me ever since.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- 1 (16-ounce) package bacon
Directions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1-2-inch pieces
- In a small bowl, add the olive oil, the black pepper, and the ranch seasoning and whisk to combine.
- In a resealable plastic bag, add the chicken pieces and the marinade mixture, then seal the bag.
- Turn the bag to coat the chicken pieces.
- Transfer the bag to the refrigerator and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat the grill to 350 degrees F.
- On a clean microwave-safe plate covered with a paper towel and working in batches, add the bacon slices, ensuring they do not overlap.
- Microwave the bacon until it is warmed but not cooked through, about 1 minute 30 seconds.
- Cut the warmed bacon into 2-inch pieces.
- Repeat until all of the bacon is warmed and cut.
- On a soaked wooden skewer, alternate threading the chicken pieces and the bacon pieces until the skewer is full.
- Repeat the skewering process for the remaining skewers until all of the chicken and the bacon are used.
- Add the skewers to the grill and cook, flipping them once, until the chicken pieces reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 6-8 minutes per side.
- Transfer the skewers to a plate and immediately tent them with foil.
- Allow the skewers to rest until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
- Serve.
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