I was checking out my Aug/Sept issue of Fine Cooking magazine and saw an article called "A Taste of Tuscany in Your Own Back Yard" that brought your request for an Italian chicken dish that could be skewered to mind. I don't know if it would be doable for you, but it is a combination of some of the suggestions you received above and looks quite good. While these are scaled to be a main dish, they could easily be made into smaller servings.
Serves six to eight.
The crisp, intensely flavored sage leaves are delicious eaten with the chicken and sausage on these skewers.
2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 7 or smileys/bigeyes.gif, trimmed of excess fat and cut in half (the pieces should be roughly equal in size; if the thighs are large, cut them in thirds or quarters)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Rosemary-Garlic Oil (see the recipe below)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage links, cut into 2-inch pieces
24 large fresh sage leaves
Up to a day ahead and at least a couple of hours before serving, toss the chicken in a medium bowl with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the rosemary, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
If the grill isn't already fired up, heat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup oil into two small bowls (one for grilling and one for serving). Alternately thread three pieces of sausage, three pieces of chicken, and four sage leaves onto six 12-inch metal skewers (or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 1/2 hour).
Grill the skewers, covered, until one side is browned and has good grill marks, about 4 minutes. Brush with some of the rosemary-garlic oil, flip, and cook the other side until it, too, has good grill marks, about 4 minutes. Brush with more oil and flip again. Continue cooking, flipping, and brushing with oil until the sausage and chicken are both cooked through (check by slicing into a couple of the thicker pieces), about another 10 minutes.
Let cool for a couple of minutes and then arrange on a platter, drizzle on the remaining oil, and set out for guests to serve themselves.
Rosemary oil
This wonderfully fragrant oil is the flavor base for many of the dishes in this menu. It involves little more than heating the oil so that the garlic and rosemary just begin to sizzle and infuse it.
Rosemary-Garlic Oil
Yields 1-12 cups.
You can make this flavored oil up to five-days ahead.
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
6 coves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to bubble steadily, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rosemary, remove from the heat, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean glass jar or other storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Use within five days.
Serves six to eight.
The crisp, intensely flavored sage leaves are delicious eaten with the chicken and sausage on these skewers.
2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 7 or smileys/bigeyes.gif, trimmed of excess fat and cut in half (the pieces should be roughly equal in size; if the thighs are large, cut them in thirds or quarters)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Rosemary-Garlic Oil (see the recipe below)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage links, cut into 2-inch pieces
24 large fresh sage leaves
Up to a day ahead and at least a couple of hours before serving, toss the chicken in a medium bowl with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the rosemary, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
If the grill isn't already fired up, heat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup oil into two small bowls (one for grilling and one for serving). Alternately thread three pieces of sausage, three pieces of chicken, and four sage leaves onto six 12-inch metal skewers (or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 1/2 hour).
Grill the skewers, covered, until one side is browned and has good grill marks, about 4 minutes. Brush with some of the rosemary-garlic oil, flip, and cook the other side until it, too, has good grill marks, about 4 minutes. Brush with more oil and flip again. Continue cooking, flipping, and brushing with oil until the sausage and chicken are both cooked through (check by slicing into a couple of the thicker pieces), about another 10 minutes.
Let cool for a couple of minutes and then arrange on a platter, drizzle on the remaining oil, and set out for guests to serve themselves.
Rosemary oil
This wonderfully fragrant oil is the flavor base for many of the dishes in this menu. It involves little more than heating the oil so that the garlic and rosemary just begin to sizzle and infuse it.
Rosemary-Garlic Oil
Yields 1-12 cups.
You can make this flavored oil up to five-days ahead.
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
6 coves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to bubble steadily, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rosemary, remove from the heat, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean glass jar or other storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Use within five days.