Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs — The Cookout Dish That Earns More Than Just “Good”

Memorial Day weekend, round two. Last year I made $340 in holiday tips. This year I made $380 because I've gotten better at the art of Waffle House holiday service, which is: be fast, be friendly, keep the coffee flowing, and never, ever judge a man who orders a triple hash brown at 7 AM on a federal holiday. That man is living his truth and he deserves hot coffee and a warm plate.

We did the cookout at Mama's again. Hot dogs, her potato salad, my baked beans, and this year I also brought cornbread dressing because I'm still riding the high of Mama saying my dumplings were better than hers and I wanted to see if I could get a compliment on the dressing too. She tasted it. She nodded. She said, "That's good." Just "good." Not "better than mine." Not "Earline's." Just good. I'm back to climbing the mountain. One word at a time.

Kevin didn't make it this year — he's on duty at Campbell — but he FaceTimed during the cookout and his buddies yelled hello and Jayden yelled "KEH-BA!" at the phone so loud that Mama's neighbor poked her head out to see if everything was okay. Everything is okay. Everything is a two-year-old screaming his uncle's butchered name at a phone while covered in hot dog mustard. That's our family. That's Memorial Day.

Amber and Darren drove up from Chattanooga for the weekend. Amber has a wedding binder now. A BINDER. It's three inches thick, tabbed, color-coded, and contains swatches of fabric I cannot distinguish from one another but that are apparently "champagne," "ivory," and "ecru," which are three different words for the same color. I nodded at each swatch with the seriousness of a woman who understands fabric. I do not understand fabric. I understand cornbread. But I love my sister, so I will learn the difference between champagne and ecru by August 2018 or I will die trying.

Darren pulled me aside at the cookout and said, "I'm going to take care of her, Sarah." He said it like a promise. Not to me — to himself, out loud, with me as the witness. I said, "I know you will." And I do know. Because Darren Reeves is not Danny Mitchell and he is not Marcus Thompson. Darren is the kind of man who brings steaks to your mama's cookout and means it when he says forever. Amber found the good one. She found the one that stays.

I made a flag cake again this year — boxed yellow cake, Cool Whip, strawberries and blueberries. Chloe remembered it from last year and said, "Is it the America cake?" Yes, baby. It's the America cake. And this year your letters are better on the card and your brother is bigger and your mama is one semester away from a degree and everything is a little bit more than it was last Memorial Day. Everything is always a little bit more. That's the direction we travel in this family: more.

I brought the flag cake and the cornbread dressing this year, and Mama gave me “good”—which means I’m still climbing. But next Memorial Day, I’m showing up with these Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs too, because if there’s one thing this family understands, it’s that a cookout should taste like you meant it. Darren brought steaks and meant it. I want to bring something that means it just as much—something smoky and sticky and worth standing over a hot grill for, the kind of dish that gets a compliment without you having to fish for one.

Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes (plus 1 hour marinating) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 8 oz thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand or homemade)
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• Metal or soaked wooden skewers

Instructions

1. Make the bourbon BBQ marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne if using. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce for basting and serving.
2. Marinate the chicken. Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper, then toss with the remaining bourbon BBQ marinade in a large zip-top bag or bowl. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
3. Prep the grill. Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
4. Assemble the kebabs. Thread the marinated chicken, bacon pieces, bell pepper chunks, and red onion onto skewers in alternating order, folding the bacon loosely around each chicken piece as you go.
5. Grill the kebabs. Place skewers on the grill and cook for 8–10 minutes per side, turning once, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the bacon is crisp and caramelized at the edges.
6. Baste and finish. In the last 2–3 minutes of grilling, brush generously with the reserved bourbon BBQ sauce and allow it to set and slightly char for a sticky, lacquered finish.
7. Rest and serve. Remove kebabs from the grill and let rest for 3–5 minutes. Serve with extra sauce on the side and your favorite cookout sides.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 780mg