Description
Bold and zesty grilled chicken skewers, marinated to perfection for a juicy, flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Wooden or metal skewers
- Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Trim excess fat and pat the chicken dry. Cut into even-sized pieces.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, honey (or maple), smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Marinate the chicken: Add cubed chicken to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to 2 hours.
- Prepare your skewers and grill: Soak wooden skewers if using, preheat grill to medium-high.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers with space in between for heat circulation.
- Grill the skewers: Cook for 8–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes until the chicken reaches the desired internal temperature.
- Rest and finish: Let skewers rest for 5 minutes, then squeeze fresh lemon and garnish with herbs.
Notes
These skewers are forgiving if you swap chicken thighs for breasts and pair well with fresh herbs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: grilled chicken, skewers, BBQ, easy recipes, summer grilling