Description
Nothing beats honey garlic chicken skewers when you’re craving something that tastes restaurant-quality but comes together quickly in your own kitchen. These skewers get their glossy caramelized coating from a simple honey and garlic glaze that clings to tender chicken pieces as they cook, making them perfect for your weeknight dinner or weekend gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Garnish:
- chopped fresh parsley or green onions
Instructions
- Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes in a bowl and whisk everything together until fully blended.
- Toss your 1.5 lbs of chicken cubes into the marinade and coat each piece thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours depending on how much flavor depth you prefer.
- If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes so they don’t burn during cooking.
- Get your grill or grill pan heating to medium-high heat, about 400°F, and let it reach full temperature before you add the skewers.
- Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto your skewers with a little space between each cube so heat circulates evenly around them.
- Place the skewers on the grill at 400°F and cook for 10 to 12 minutes total, rotating them every 3 to 4 minutes to get an even char on all sides.
- Use a basting brush to brush extra marinade onto your skewers as they cook, which adds another layer of flavor to the chicken.
- Once the chicken reaches 165°F internally and has light browning on the edges, transfer your skewers to a serving plate and sprinkle fresh parsley or green onions over the top.
Notes
- Soaking wooden skewers for 30 minutes before grilling prevents them from burning and splitting during cooking.
- Marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes develops flavor, but going up to 4 hours gives deeper taste without overdoing it.
- Space each piece of chicken slightly apart on the skewer so heat circulates evenly and cooks everything through without dry spots.
- Turn the skewers every 3-4 minutes and brush on extra marinade throughout cooking to build a slightly charred, caramelized exterior while keeping the inside tender.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos, and the rest of the recipe stays exactly the same.
- If cooking indoors, a cast-iron grill pan works just as well as an outdoor grill and gives similar char marks.
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Grilled Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg