G’day - Steve here. I’m an account manager by day and dad of two by night, and I love turning quick pantry runs into meals the kids actually want to eat. These grilled skewers are mild, low fuss and safe for toddlers. No added salt or sugar, and I explain every chop like I was teaching my mate who thinks a chef’s knife is for opening boxes.
General Information
- Servings: 4 (about 1 plate per adult, smaller toddler portions)
- Keywords: toddler friendly, no added salt, no added sugar, chicken, skewers, easy
- Calories: ~360 kcal per serving (approximate)
- Protein: ~39 g per serving (approximate)
- Carbs: ~18 g per serving (approximate)
- Fats: ~12 g per serving (approximate)
- Preparation time: 30 minutes active (plus 30 minutes optional marinade)
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken breast (or thigh if you prefer juicier meat)
- 300 g sweet potato (about 1 medium large), peeled
- 1 medium zucchini (about 180 g)
- 1 red bell pepper (capsicum), about 150 g
- 150 g button mushrooms, wiped clean
- 100 g cherry tomatoes (optional, see safety notes below)
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
- 30 g plain full-fat yoghurt (about 2 tablespoons) or extra oil if dairy-free
- 15 ml lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika or smoked paprika (optional, for colour)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 8 to 12 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes (so they don’t burn)
Notes on chopping sizes and safety:
- For toddlers, cut cooked pieces no larger than about 1 cm across, or make thin strips about 0.5 to 1 cm wide. If your toddler is younger or still learning to chew, chop even smaller, or mash slightly.
- Cherry tomatoes and mushrooms are round and can be a choking hazard if served whole. Follow the directions to halve or squash them after cooking and cut into small pieces before serving.
Directions
- Prep your tools and safety first
- Lay out a clean chopping board, a sharp knife, a baking tray lined with baking paper, tongs, and a bowl for the marinade.
- If using wooden skewers, place them in a shallow dish of water and let them soak for 30 minutes. They will burn less. If you forget to soak them, you can cook on a tray and thread only to shape, then remove before serving.
- Pre-cook the sweet potato (very important for softness)
- Peel the sweet potato and cut into 2 cm cubes. If you are new to cutting, cut the potato in half lengthways, place the flat side on the board, then slice down to make planks and cut into sticks, then across into cubes.
- Put the cubes in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until soft when poked with a fork. You want them soft enough that a fork goes through easily.
- Drain and let cool a few minutes. For toddlers, cut each cube into smaller pieces later (around 1 cm).
- Cut and check the chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. Place it on the board and slice off any visible fat or bits of tendon.
- Cut the chicken into roughly 2 cm cubes. To do this safely, slice the breast into even strips then turn and cut across into pieces. If you are nervous, cut slightly bigger and then after cooking cut smaller for the kids.
- Put the chicken into a bowl.
- Make the mild marinade
- In a small bowl, mix 30 ml olive oil, 30 g plain yoghurt, 15 ml lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, and the chopped parsley.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and stir gently so every piece gets a light coat. You can let this sit for 30 minutes in the fridge if you have time. If not, it still cooks fine straight away. The yoghurt helps tenderise the meat and keeps flavour gentle for little palates.
- Prepare the vegetables
- Zucchini: Trim the ends, slice down the middle lengthwise, then lay the halves flat and slice into 1 cm half-moons. For toddlers, cut those half-moons again into quarters so they are about 1 cm or less.
- Red bell pepper: Remove the top and seeds. Cut down one side to open the pepper, lay it flat, then slice into strips about 1.5 cm wide, and then cut those strips into 1 cm pieces for the toddlers.
- Mushrooms: Wipe them with a damp cloth to clean. If large, cut in half then quarter. If small, leave whole but later squash or cut after cooking for serving to make them toddler-safe.
- Cherry tomatoes: If using, halve them now. I recommend halving before grilling and then crushing them slightly after cooking to avoid round pieces.
- Assemble skewers for grilling
- Thread pieces onto skewers in a pattern if you like: chicken, sweet potato, zucchini, pepper, mushroom, chicken, etc. Leave a little space between pieces so heat circulates. For toddlers, remember we are not serving the whole skewer to them. This is mostly to cook evenly.
- If using longer skewers for adults, consider making a few short skewers just for the kids so the pieces are easier to remove.
- Grill or bake
- Oven method (easy): Preheat oven grill to 200 degrees Celsius on the top grill setting or oven bake at 200 C. Place skewers on the lined baking tray. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once halfway, until chicken is cooked through and sweet potato has a little colour and is soft. If using a grill, keep an eye so they do not burn.
- Grill pan or BBQ: Brush a little oil on the grill pan or BBQ. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. If you have a meat thermometer, chicken should reach 75 degrees Celsius internal temperature.
- Check doneness by cutting a larger chicken piece in half to ensure there is no pink in the middle and juices are clear.
- Cool and remove from skewers
- Take the skewers off the heat and let them rest 3 to 5 minutes so juices settle and they cool a little. Toddlers need lukewarm food.
- Remove each piece from the skewer and place on a cutting board.
- Cut each piece into toddler-friendly sizes. Aim for about 0.5 to 1 cm wide strips or cubes. If you used mushrooms or cherry tomatoes, squash them gently and chop into small bits.
- Serve safely
- Place the bite-sized pieces onto a plate. For the little ones, arrange pieces in easy-to-grab shapes like strips that are about the length of a finger and thin enough to bite.
- Let kids cool their bites. Test one piece to make sure it is not too hot.
Tips and swaps
- If your toddler has dairy allergy, skip the yoghurt and add another tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of mild mustard if tolerated by age.
- You can swap chicken for firm fish like hoki or a mild white fish. Fish should flake easily and be checked carefully for bones.
- If you prefer, thread everything but do not use skewers for serving. Cook on a tray and present as a deconstructed kebab.
Recommended Sides
- Soft mashed peas and carrot puree. Mash until lump-free and cool to lukewarm.
- Soft steamed brown rice or small pasta shapes, such as mini shells, cut if needed.
- Sliced avocado for healthy fats, cut into thin strips for toddlers.
- Simple yoghurt dip (plain unsweetened) with a touch of lemon and parsley for older kids and adults. Offer dip on the side, not on toddler pieces, unless it is thick and you supervise.
Jokes
- Why did the chicken join the band? Because it had the drumsticks. (Don’t worry, these ones stay on the plate.)
- If the skewers decide to run away, call them stick-up artists. They only steal your hunger.
- My kids say my cooking is magical. Mostly because half the food disappears before I even sit down.
There you go. Quick, gentle flavours, no added salt or sugar, and very toddler friendly when you do the cutting and cooling steps. If you want a version for older kids and adults with a little more kick, I can show you how to zhuzh it up without adding processed stuff.
Shop Ingredients
Find these ingredients on Amazon:
- boneless skinless chicken
- button mushrooms, wiped
- cherry tomatoes
- red bell pepper
- sweet potato
- zucchini
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