Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce

Let me preface by saying that this is the BEST chicken I have ever cooked on a grill.  EVER.....EVER.  Really.  If you cook no other chicken on a grill, I beg you!!!!!  let this be the one.

What can I say?  Tender, succulent, and a flavor that will linger for quite a while.  Honestly, this chicken can hold its own, but it comes with a delicious creamy sauce.  I served this with a grilled corn on the cob and a crock pot baked potato (see 5-19-13 post) and the chicken sauce was just wonderful on the potato (an extra added bonus for the summer:   ABSOLUTELY no heating up of your kitchen!!!!)  The chicken recipe does call for chipotle chiles and adobo sauce (which I love the flavor but can't always tolerate the heat.....ahhhh....the joys of aging), but if you are like me, simply scrape the seeds from the chiles and this will still give you just a hint of heat but full-on flavor of the chipotles.  Also, this recipe calls for cooking the chicken on wood or metal skewers, but really, this is just for presentation purposes (in my opinion).  For ease of cooking, I would simply place the strips on the grill.

I have a few pieces left over and as I sit here typing, I'm wondering what's more important...posting this recipe or running downstairs and making sure those leftover have a good home.  Such sacrifices....I will finish this post for you.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SKEWERS wtih CREAMY DIPPING SAUCE (Serves 6-8)

Chicken Skewers:
2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4-5 medium breasts)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before minced to reduce spiciness)
2 tsp adobo sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12 bamboo or metal skewers

Creamy Dipping Sauce:
3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
1/4 cup lowfat mayo or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2" thick.  You should have right around 30 strips.  In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper.  Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly.  Cover the chicken (or place in a ziplock bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours (I mixed everything in a ziplock bag and then added the sliced chicken, squished {a technical cooking term} it around several times during the marinating period).

For the dipping sauce, in a bowl stir all of the ingredients together.  Cover the mixture and let stand at room temp for 30 minutes until the flavors combine.  Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate up to two days.  Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, S&P to taste before serving.

30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak.  Skip this step if using metal skewers or omitting the skewers altogether,.

Preheat an oven broiler or grill.  Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer.  Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8  minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling.  Serve immediately.