Sausage — Chicken Kabobs — The Grill Was Already Hot

Memorial Day. We go to the small cemetery outside town every year — Dad's parents are buried there, and an uncle who died in Korea before my father was born. We bring flowers Mom cuts from the garden, what's blooming in late May, and we stand there for a few minutes and then we go. It's not complicated. It's just remembrance done the way remembrance ought to be: quietly, in person, without spectacle.

I've been thinking about Derek Owens at every Memorial Day since he died. I didn't go to his funeral. I was in the worst of the drinking then and I told myself I couldn't face his mother and his family and I was probably right about that but it was also cowardice. Memorial Day sits with his family, I know that. I think about them thinking about him. I've been doing this for sixteen years.

Grilled this weekend — Memorial Day is the American permission to grill, regardless of weather, and I use it. Lamb chops with a simple garlic and rosemary rub, grilled hot and fast, rested briefly. Dad sat on the porch while I worked the grill and we talked about the cattle and the fences and the work coming up in the summer. The kind of conversation that's really about being in the same place together rather than the content of the words. I know the difference now. I couldn't have told you a few years ago why those conversations mattered. I know now.

News from the wider world has turned heavy in a different direction this week — the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the unrest following it. I'm watching from a distance, as I watch most things from a distance. But some distances are chosen and some are just geography and it's worth knowing which kind you have.

The grill was already lit, Dad was already on the porch, and the point was never really the food — it was the standing there together while something cooked. These sausage and chicken kabobs are what I reach for when I want something that works on a hot grate without much fuss: skewered, seasoned, turned a couple times, done. They fit the same rhythm as that afternoon — simple work, shared space, the kind of meal that doesn’t demand your full attention so you can give it to the people around you instead.

Sausage & Chicken Kabobs

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 12 oz smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille), sliced into 1-inch rounds
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Wooden or metal skewers (if wooden, soak 30 minutes before use)

Instructions

1. Heat the grill. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat, around 400°F. Clean and oil the grates.
2. Season the chicken. In a bowl, toss chicken chunks with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
3. Build the skewers. Thread chicken, sausage rounds, bell pepper pieces, and onion wedges onto skewers in an alternating pattern, leaving a little space between each piece for even cooking.
4. Grill hot and fast. Place skewers on the hot grill. Cook 12—15 minutes total, turning every 3—4 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F) and edges are lightly charred.
5. Rest and serve. Remove from grill and let rest 3—5 minutes before serving. Good alongside grilled bread, rice, or a simple green salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 780mg