Grilled Basil Chicken and Veggie Skewers

Basil pesto is one of those sauces that started as a pantry trick. Cooks in the Liguria region of Italy have been pounding basil, garlic, nuts and hard cheese together for generations, usually with a mortar and pestle, and the idea travels well. Brushing it onto chicken and vegetables on a skewer gives you the same bright, garlicky flavor without the pasta. This version swaps the traditional pine nut and cheese mix into a quick blend, so the sauce is ready while the skewers soak.

The soaking step is worth doing. Bamboo skewers that sit in water for at least half an hour are far less likely to scorch and snap on the grill, and that matters when you are turning them every minute or so. If you forget, a quick dip in warm water still helps, though the ends may char a little more.

Basil is a delicate herb that wilts fast with heat, which is why this sauce is made raw and brushed on at the end rather than simmered. Keep the leaves dry before you blend them. Wet basil turns dark and loses its color, so a quick pat with a towel makes the sauce look greener and taste fresher.

Chicken breast is lean, so it can dry out quickly over direct heat. Cutting the pieces to a similar size, and keeping the zucchini and tomatoes next to them, means the vegetables finish at about the same time. Cherry tomatoes are the easy part: they only need a few minutes until the skins blister. Use a thermometer if you have one, and pull the chicken once it reads 165°F.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to three days. Slide the chicken and vegetables off the skewers, chop them, and tuck them into a wrap with a spoon of yogurt, or pile them over greens for a quick lunch. The leftover pesto thins nicely with a little warm water and works as a dressing for cold pasta or boiled potatoes.

For a side, keep things simple and fresh. A bowl of fresh fennel and arugula salad with a honey lemon dressing cuts through the richness of the basil sauce. If you want more of the grill going, warm zucchini rounds with tomato olive salsa echo the same flavors, and a garden tomato salad with basil is perfect when the market tomatoes are at their peak.