Grill season is in full swing and these garlic Parmesan chicken skewers are the perfect quick and easy grilling recipe to work into your rotation. These skewers are made with juicy chicken breasts that are bathed in a simple zesty marinade, grilled to tender, melt-in-your-mouth perfection, and finished with a buttery garlic Parmesan sauce. This chicken is perfect as an appetizer or for pairing with fluffy rice and grilled veggies for a complete, high-protein summer dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients โ this dish relies heavily on everyday seasonings, like garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, and smoked paprika, as well as simple pantry and fridge staples like olive oil, lemon juice, butter, Parmesan cheese, and chicken. It’s not super sophisticated!
- Flavor packed โ from the tangy lemon juice and nutty Parmesan to the smoky paprika and zingy lemon pepper seasoning, this chicken is oozing yumminess.
- Quick and easy meal โ don’t be fooled by the total time listed on the recipe card (most of it is marinate time!). It only takes a few minutes to throw together the marinade, skewer and grill the chicken, and baste it with the finishing garlic Parmesan sauce. Easy grilling at its best.
- Healthy source of protein โ one 4oz serving of boneless skinless chicken breast packs in 25 grams of protein, while boneless, skinless chicken thighs have about 20 grams or protein.
- Super versatile โ this dish is perfect for piling on a steaming bowl of rice, a bed of fresh egg noodles, or alongside grilled summer veggies, like zucchini, asparagus, or squash.
Ingredients
- Chicken – we use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs tend to stay a little juicier, but chicken breasts work just as well. Cut chicken into bite-size cubes for even cooking.
- Lemon – for a light splash of citrus flavor in both the marinade and finishing sauce.
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) – to add depth to the marinade and to ensure a nice, healthy sear on the chicken when grilled.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – to help thin down the marinade while adding a light salty flavor.
- Marinade seasonings – this simple marinade combines garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper for some zingy flavor.
- Garlic – for punch of piquant flavor in the garlic Parmesan finishing sauce.
- Butter – a few tablespoons of unsalted butter adds richness to the finishing sauce.
- Fresh parsley – a light touch of herbs helps elevate these skewers.
- Parmesan – we like to freshly grate our Parmesan and mix it into the garlic butter for optimum freshness and delicious nutty flavor.
Tips for Making Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Cut chicken to equal size to ensure even cooking (aka no mix of raw and overcooked chicken).
- Don’t skimp on marinade time. Marinating your chicken deepens the intensity of the flavors. We recommend a minimum of 30 minutes, but prefer to let ours marinate 2-3 hours or even overnight for tons of flavor!
- Soak wooden skewers about 20 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.
- Brush chicken with garlic Parmesan finishing sauce just before removing them from the grill to add a burst of herby, garlicky flavor.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Add the cubed chicken to a large Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and shake/knead until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
While the chicken marinates, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Place the chicken chunks on the prepared skewers. Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Baste with the garlic Parmesan sauce on both sides the last 30 seconds of cooking. Remove from heat and serve with rice or couscous.
How to Store
Remove the chicken from the skewers and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, add the chicken to a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil and chicken broth. Cover and warm over medium heat until warmed throughout.
Recipe Variations
- Protein โ replace chicken with shrimp or extra firm tofu.
- Seasonings – add some heat with cayenne, chipotle powder, or red pepper flakes. Make it sweeter with a few teaspoons of honey or maple syrup. Add more fresh herbs, like thyme, oregano, or basil.
- Cooking method โ summer is all about grilling, but sometimes you need other options. Try pan searing, oven-baking, or break out your indoor grill or griddle (no skewers needed).
What to Pair with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Rice โ white or brown rice is one of our go-to pairings. Try our miso, cilantro lime, or chimichurri versions over the stove or in the Instant Pot.
- Pasta salad โ pasta salads are great for grilling recipes. Give our peach, Greek, or avocado pasta salad a go.
- Potatoes โ we really love pairing this chicken with simple baked russet or sweet potatoes. But oven baked garlic herb potatoes or brown sugar roasted sweet potatoes, air fryer sweet potato fries, or even potato salad are also great options.
- Veggies โ summer veggies, like zucchini, summer squash, asparagus, green beans, or sweet corn, are perfect for grilling alongside the skewers. You can also add onions, bell peppers, and squash to their own skewers and grill alone or baste with more finishing sauce.
- Risotto โ layer cooked chicken over warm garlic orzo risotto, pesto risotto, zucchini risotto, or mushroom risotto.
- Grains/pastas โ Israeli couscous, farro, quinoa, egg noodles, or other pastas dressed simply with butter or olive oil work great with this dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thighs tend to be a little juicier due to being dark meat, whereas breast is leaner white meat. However either works great for grilled chicken skewers.
You should soak the wooden skewers for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling to prevent the wood from burning when grilled.
We recommend cooking these chicken skewers for 3-4 minutes per side and finishing with another 30 seconds after basting with the garlic Parmesan sauce. If you use pieces larger than 1-inch, you may need to increase your grilling time.
Yes! You can cut and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead of time. If you plan to add any veggies to the skewers, you can cut them 1-3 days ahead of time too. Then all you have to do is soak the skewers and grill the chicken.
Check out our other grilling recipes
- Honey garlic chicken skewers
- Shrimp chimichurri
- Easy turkey burgers
- Juicy chicken burgers
- Chimichurri chicken
Let us know what you think about our recipe for garlic Parmesan chicken skewers by dropping a comment, star rating, and/or sharing on Pinterest/social media! We really appreciate your help in sharing and rating our recipes, as it allows us to continue to bring delicious and healthy recipes to our community!
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Garlic Chicken Marinade
- 1ยฝ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium lemon, juiced (about 3 Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- ยฝ tsp smoked paprika
- ยฝ tsp sea salt
- ยผ tsp cracked black pepper
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2ยฝ Tbsp reduced fat or unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ยฝ lemon, juiced (about 1ยฝ Tbsp of juice)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cubed chicken to a large Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and shake/knead until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- While the chicken marinates, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken chunks on the prepared skewers. Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Baste with the garlic Parmesan sauce on both sides the last 30 seconds of cooking. Remove from heat and serve with rice or couscous.
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