Mojo Glazed Chicken Skewers with Citrus Slaw and Lettuce Cups

A robust mojo marinade does triple duty as a glaze and slaw dressing in these Cuban-inspired chicken skewers from Little Palm at the Ryder Hotel in Charleston, SC. Perfect for grilling on a summer day, these marinated and glazed chicken thighs are served in tender baby gem lettuce cups with a bright citrus slaw on the side. For maximum flavor, chill the chicken overnight in the marinade then bring to room temperature before grilling.

Mojo Marinade

4 cloves garlic

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons Calabrian Chili Paste

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

Mojo Glaze

1 cup Mojo Marinade

1/2 cup honey

Citrus Slaw

1/4 head shaved green cabbage

1/4 head shaved red cabbage

2 carrots, julienne

1/4 cup cilantro, chiffonade

1/2 lime, juiced

1/4 cup Mojo Glaze

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Mojo Chicken Skewers

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each cut into 3 long strips

1 cup Mojo Marinade

Vegetable oil

1/4 cup Mojo Glaze

1 head baby gem lettuce, leaves separated

Pickled red onion

For the marinade:

Place the garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, chili paste, oil and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth.

For the glaze:

Place 1 cup of marinade and additional 1/2 cup honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool before using.

For the slaw:

Place the green and red cabbage, carrot, cilantro, lime juice, and glaze in a small baking dish. Toss to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

For the chicken skewers:

Combine the chicken with the additional 1 cup of Mojo Marinade in a large mixing bowl, and refrigerate overnight. If using wooden skewers, soak in water overnight to prevent burning.

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, thread the marinated chicken onto skewers as tightly as possible. Once the grill is hot, lightly brush the grates with vegetable oil. Add the chicken skewers to the grill, rotating until seared and cooked throughout, about 10-13 minutes.

Remove the skewers from the grill and place in a baking dish to keep warm. Brush the chicken with the Mojo Glaze. Serve with lettuce leaves, pickled red onion, slaw and extra glaze on the side for serving.