BBQ Chicken Skewers Recipe
Summer BBQ food should be easy to cook, easy to share and big on flavour. That is exactly why chicken skewers work so well: they cook quickly, look great on the table and are perfect for passing around while everyone is gathered outside.
This recipe uses Kick In The Ribs! BBQ Sauce by The Chuckling Cheese Company to give the chicken that smoky, sticky finish without making a marinade from scratch. Choose Mild, Medium or Hot depending on your crowd, then glaze, grill and serve with extra sauce on the side for dipping.
You Will Need
- A mixing bowl
- A sharp knife
- A chopping board
- Metal or wooden skewers
- A BBQ, grill pan or oven tray
- A pastry brush or spoon for glazing
If you are using wooden skewers on the BBQ, soak them in water first so they do not burn too quickly.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 600g chicken breast or chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 4 tbsp Kick In The Ribs! BBQ Sauce, plus extra for glazing
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 red onion, cut into chunks
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Optional: fresh coriander, spring onion or sesame seeds to finish
Chicken thighs will give you juicier skewers, while chicken breast keeps things leaner and cooks a little quicker. Both work, so use whichever you prefer.
Method
1. Add the chicken chunks to a mixing bowl with the Kick In The Ribs sauce, olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, a pinch of salt, black pepper and smoked paprika if using.
2. Mix everything together until the chicken is well coated. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you have more time, pop it in the fridge for a few hours.
3. Thread the chicken, peppers and red onion onto your skewers. Try not to squash everything too tightly together, as a little space helps the chicken cook evenly.
4. Cook the skewers on a BBQ or hot grill for around 12–15 minutes, turning often, until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
5. In the last few minutes, brush the skewers with a little fresh Kick In The Ribs sauce. This gives them that sticky BBQ finish.
6. Remove from the heat and let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
7. Finish with fresh herbs, sesame seeds or another drizzle of sauce if you fancy going all in.
Important: chicken should be fully cooked before serving. There should be no pink meat, the juices should run clear, and the centre should reach 75°C if you are using a food thermometer.
You can also watch the recipe in action on our TikTok here: Kick In The Ribs Chicken Skewers video.
Serve them with…
These BBQ chicken skewers are easy to turn into a full meal.
Serve them with salad, flatbreads, coleslaw, rice, corn on the cob or a big crunchy salad. They are also great with extra Kick In The Ribs on the side for dipping, because there is no such thing as too much sauce at a BBQ.
For a proper summer plate, pile the skewers onto warm flatbreads with salad, a spoonful of slaw and an extra drizzle of sauce. Fold, eat, repeat.
More about The Kick In The Ribs! BBQ Sauce
Kick In The Ribs! BBQ sauce is made for the kind of food people keep picking at around the BBQ: burgers, sausages, chicken wings, ribs, chips, wedges and anything that needs a smoky, sticky lift.
The flavour sits somewhere between sweet BBQ sauce and chilli heat, with a glossy finish that works as a marinade, glaze or dipping sauce. Brush it onto meat near the end of cooking, spoon it into wraps, serve it on the side for dipping, or use it to bring a bit of BBQ flavour to midweek dinners when the grill is nowhere to be seen.
It is also handy because you can choose the heat level to match the crowd.
Pick Your Heat Level
|
Sauce |
Heat level |
Best for |
|
4/10 |
A gentle chilli warmth, family BBQs, chicken wings, burgers and dipping |
|
|
7/10 |
Smoky, spicy BBQ flavour for skewers, sausages, burgers and sticky glazes |
|
|
10/10 |
Heat lovers, brave BBQ guests, wings, ribs and anything that needs a serious kick |
For this recipe, Medium is a great place to start. It gives the skewers plenty of flavour without stealing the whole show. But if your BBQ crowd likes a challenge, Hot is waiting.
Choose your sauce, thread the skewers, get them sizzling and let the glaze do the hard work.