Nothing says summer like these simple, juicy, flavor packed grilled honey garlic chicken skewers. These chicken skewers (aka chicken kabobs) are marinated in a mixture of tomato paste, avocado oil, soy sauce, honey, smoked paprika and garlic and then grilled to tender perfection.
What we love most about these skewers is that they are incredibly easy to throw together. All you have to do is cut and marinate the ingredients, thread them on a skewer, then plop them on a grill for 8 minutes.
And voila! Dinner is served (said like Lumière, gives bow).
Ingredients
- Chicken breast – we used chicken breasts in this recipe to keep our meat leaner. A quick sear on both sides keeps the chicken breast tender and juicy, without drying it out. Thighs are also great for chicken skewers.
- Tomato paste – for a little smoky and savory acidity.
- Avocado oil – adds moisture to the chicken and balances the other flavors in the marinade. It will also help to coat the chicken and prevent sticking on the grill.
- Low-sodium soy sauce – a salty, savory base for this marinade. Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the saltiness from overpowering the marinade and to keep the sodium content down.
- Honey – for a hint of sweetness.
- Water – to thin out the marinade.
- Seasonings – smoked paprika, garlic, salt and pepper are simple seasonings that pack in a ton of flavor in these chicken skewers.
- Vegetables – we used red, orange, and yellow bell peppers and onion, but feel free to use whatever in-season vegetables you want, like zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
Trim and cube the chicken breast. Cut the bell peppers and onion into similar sized pieces. Place the chicken in one large Ziploc bag and the vegetables in a second Ziploc bag.
In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, oil, soy sauce, honey, water, smoked paprika, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade.
Pour half of the remaining marinade over the chicken in the bag and the other half over the vegetables. Seal the bags and shake to distribute the marinade over the chicken and vegetables. Allow the chicken and vegetables to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator (we like to marinate ours for about 2 hours).
While the chicken and veggies marinates, soak the wooden skewers in water for 10-30 minutes (this will prevent them from burning when on the grill).
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Pour the marinated veggies onto a plate. Push the veggies onto the skewers, leaving about an inch of space at the top and bottom of the skewers and about ½ inch of space between the veggies. Repeat this process until all of the veggies are on the skewers. You can brush any remaining marinade over the vegetables, if desired.
Pour the marinated chicken out on the same plate. Push pieces of the chicken onto the skewers, leaving about an inch of space at the top and bottom of the skewers and about ½ inch of space between the pieces of chicken. Repeat this process until all of the chicken is on the skewers. Discard any remaining marinade.
Place the skewers on the preheated grill and cook on one side, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes. Turn the skewer over and repeat on the other side for about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the grill and brush with the reserved marinade. Serve and enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerator – remove the chicken and vegetables from the wooden skewers. Store in an airtight container or baggie for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat – the best way to reheat these skewers is over the stovetop. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet. Add the chicken and veggies. Warm over medium-low heat, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until warmed. You can also reheat these in the oven or microwave, but we prefer the stovetop method.
Quick Tips for Making the Best Chicken Skewers
- Cut ingredients to a similar size – cutting your ingredients to a similar size will help the chicken and veggies cook at the same rate. We cut our ingredients into 2 inch pieces.
- Marinate meat and veggies – you probably know that you need to marinate meat, but if you add veggies to these skewers, make sure to marinate them as well for extra flavor. Split the marinade in half and marinate the chicken separately from the veggies, as they may marinate for different times and you don’t want to cross contaminate raw meat with veggies. Chicken and hard vegetables can marinate 30 minutes to 24 hours, while soft vegetables will only need to marinate between 20 and 30 minutes.
- Put meat and vegetables on separate skewers – meat and vegetables will cook at different rates. If you put them on the same skewer then you’ll likely have overcooked vegetables by the time the chicken is done. For this recipe, the bell peppers and onions will cook about as quickly as the chicken.
- Leave space between the ingredients – leave about ½ inch of space between pieces of chicken or veggies. This will allow air to circulate the pieces evenly. If you don’t leave space, the ends will likely cook faster than the middle pieces and be much drier.
- Preheat, clean, and oil your grill – preheating your grill is essential for preventing the kebobs from sticking and to achieve an even grill. Preheat for at least 15 minutes. If you haven’t cleaned your grill recently, do so after it preheats. Warm grill grates will loosen up any leftover bits, making it easier to clean. Oiling is an extra layer of stick protection. We just use a bit of cooking spray.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What goes with chicken on a skewer – veggies and fruit are perfect additions to chicken skewers. However, it’s best practice to put chicken and veggies on separate skewers since they will cook at different rates. Also, be sure to cut the chicken and veggies in uniform size for even cooking. Try zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, pineapple, or even mango.
- How long to cook chicken skewers on a grill – on medium-high heat, you should cook the chicken 4 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes. This time is based on a Traeger smoker, but should work for most pellet and charcoal grills as well.
- How to make chicken skewers ahead of time – to speed up the process you can make these skewers ahead of time. You can cut the vegetables 1 to 3 days head of time and you can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours before grilling. Just be sure to cover and refrigerate the prepared ingredients!
- Should I marinate kabobs before grilling – yes! we recommend marinating the chicken for these kabobs a minimum of 30 minutes, but ideally for 2-4 hours. Marinating will both tenderize the chicken and pack in a ton of flavor when grilled. You can also marinate the veggies for added flavor.
- Do I have to soak wooden skewers before grilling – yes! Soak the wooden skewers for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Soaking prevents the wood from burning when grilling the chicken.
- Are chicken breasts or thighs better for kabobs – Our recipe calls for chicken breasts since they are leaner than thighs. However, thighs will also work and may even be a tad juicier due to increased fat content and should take a similar amount of time to cook.
What to Serve with Chicken Skewers/Kabobs
- Brown or white rice – try our miso or cilantro lime varieties.
- Ancient grains – barley, quinoa, and farro are other easy grain options.
- Israeli (pearl) couscous – this buttery pasta is perfect for topping with freshly grilled chicken kabobs.
- Veggies (and fruit) – the beauty of kabobs are that you can add a variety of veggies onto separate skewers. Our favorites are zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions. Occasionally we also like to add fresh pineapple or mango on the skewers.
- Potatoes – our favorites are roasted garlic potatoes, brown sugar sweet potatoes, and sweet potato fries.
- Pasta salad – a summertime favorite side. Try our peach, Greek, or avocado pasta salads.
- Potato salad – creamy, mustardy, summery side.
- Side salad – a classic side dish.
- Risotto – we make this garlic orzo risotto often when we make chicken skewers.
Check Out Our Other Chicken Recipes
- Cilantro lime chicken
- Chicken burgers
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Creamy pesto chicken scallopini
- Creamy white chicken chili
Let us know what you think about this recipe for honey garlic chicken skewers by dropping a rating and/or comment on the recipe card below! Also, please consider sharing on social media/Pinterest if you enjoyed this recipe! 💕
Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers (Chicken Kabobs)
Equipment
- indoor/outdoor grill or smoker
- 15 large wooden skewers
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken breast, trimmed, cut into 2 inch cubes (about 2 large breasts)
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or green), cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 2 inch cubes
Honey Garlic Marinade
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Trim and cube the chicken breast. Cut the bell peppers and onion into similar sized pieces. Place the chicken in one large Ziploc bag and the vegetables in a second Ziploc bag.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, oil, soy sauce, honey, water, smoked paprika, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade.
- Pour half of the remaining marinade over the chicken in the bag and the other half over the vegetables. Seal the bags and shake to distribute the marinade over the chicken and vegetables. Allow the chicken and vegetables to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator (we like to marinate ours for about 2 hours).
- While the chicken and veggies marinates, soak the wooden skewers in water for 20-30 minutes (this will prevent them from burning when on the grill).
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Pour the marinated veggies onto a plate. Push the veggies onto the skewers, leaving about an inch of space at the top and bottom of the skewers and about ½ inch of space between the veggies. Repeat this process until all of the veggies are on the skewers. You can brush any remaining marinade over the vegetables, if desired.
- Pour the marinated chicken out on the same plate. Push pieces of the chicken onto the skewers, leaving about an inch of space at the top and bottom of the skewers and about ½ inch of space between the pieces of chicken. Repeat this process until all of the chicken is on the skewers. Discard any remaining marinade.
- Place the skewers on the preheated grill and cook on one side, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes. Turn the skewer over and repeat on the other side for about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the grill and brush with the reserved marinade. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- What goes with chicken on a skewer – veggies and fruit are perfect additions to chicken skewers. However, it’s best practice to put chicken and veggies on separate skewers since they will cook at different rates. Also, be sure to cut the chicken and veggies in uniform size for even cooking. Try zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, pineapple, or even mango.
- How long to cook chicken skewers on a grill – on medium-high heat, you should cook the chicken 4 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes. This time is based on a Traeger smoker, but should work for most pellet and charcoal grills as well.
- How to make chicken skewers ahead of time – to speed up the process you can make these skewers ahead of time. You can cut the vegetables 1 to 3 days head of time and you can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours before grilling. Just be sure to cover and refrigerate the prepared ingredients!
- Should I marinate kabobs before grilling – yes! we recommend marinating the chicken for these kabobs a minimum of 30 minutes, but ideally for 2-4 hours. Marinating will both tenderize the chicken and pack in a ton of flavor when grilled. You can also marinate the veggies for added flavor.
- Do I have to soak wooden skewers before grilling – yes! Soak the wooden skewers for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Soaking prevents the wood from burning when grilling the chicken.
- Are chicken breasts or thighs better for kabobs – Our recipe calls for chicken breasts since they are leaner than thighs. However, thighs will also work and may even be a tad juicier due to increased fat content and should take a similar amount of time to cook.
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