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Tender pieces of marinated chicken cooked on a BBQ or griddle for a sweet and smoky flavour. So simple to prepare for a light Summer dinner.
Can’t wait to get the BBQ out!
Actually, I won’t be touching the BBQ. Chris won’t let me (I’m good with that!). But I can’t wait to eat BBQ food like these chicken skewers (or these Thai fish cake skewers or these lamb souvlaki kebabs, or even the chicken tikka masala that Chris cooks on the BBQ < bbq’d chicken tikka is another level!).
These honey garlic chicken skewers are an absolute favourite with everyone.
Lewis will even eat the onion (notorious onion finder and remover) as they take on that lovely honey-garlic flavour.
What do we need?
How to make these chicken kebabs
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Mix all the marinade ingredients (veg and sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce and honey) together in a small bowl.
Place the chicken in a bowl and pour on three-quarters of the marinade (reserving the rest). Place in the fridge (covered) for an hour.
Thread the marinated chicken on skewers along with pieces of red pepper and onion.
Place the skewers on a smoking hot griddle or BBQ, and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Brush with the reserved marinade halfway through cooking.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and coriander before serving
Dark ‘n’ Stormy – Chris and I LOVE this cocktail to go with any BBQ situation
Pro tips for perfect kebabs
Skewers:
You can use wooden or metal skewers.
Metal skewers can actually help the chicken to cook faster, as the metal heats up and helps to cook the meat from the inside. However they’re HOT and they retain their heat for longer – so be careful not to burn yourself.
Wooden skewers can still be hot during cooking but they don’t conduct heat within the chicken pieces and they don’t retain their heat for as long. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for an hour before using. This will help to prevent them from burning during cooking.
Even pieces:
Try to keep the size of the pieces of chicken even, and ideally make the chicken pieces slightly larger than the chunks of pepper and onion. The chicken requires longer cooking than the peppers and onion, and the chicken needs to be in contact with the griddle or BBQ all the time. If you have small pieces of chicken and large pieces of pepper, the pepper will char and the chicken will be undercooked.
Spacing:
Don’t squash the meat and vegetables together on the skewers. Leaving a tiny bit of space between each will allow a bit of airflow during cooking and will help the heat to penetrate better – meaning they’ll cook more evenly.
Check the chicken!
Always check the chicken is cooked by slicing into a larger piece and ensuring it’s piping hot and no longer pink in the middle. Check up and down the skewers to ensure the chicken looks evenly cooked throughout. If you’re still finding the chicken is pink and the veggies are starting to look overcooked, you can finish in a hot oven, covered in foil for 5-10 minutes (to prevent the chicken from drying out). You shouldn’t need to to this. Out of the many times, I’ve made chicken skewers, I’ve only needed to do this once because I cut the chicken pieces too big.
Chicken Tikka Masala – Ok, not strictly a skewer one, but Chris cooked the chicken Tikka on skewers the BBQ and it was another level AMAZING!
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Place the chicken in a bowl and pour on three-quarters of the marinade (save the rest for brushing on the chicken during cooking). Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour (or up to a day).
2 chicken breasts
Soak your skewers if they're wooden ones (to prevent them from burning) or use metal skewers.
When you're ready to cook, heat your BBQ or griddle until it's very hot.
Thread a piece of chicken onto a skewer, followed by a chunk of red pepper, then a piece of chicken and a slice of onion. Repeat until you use up all the skewers and chicken. Discard any of the marinade left in the bowl.
1 red bell pepper, 1 onion
Place the skewers on the BBQ or griddle, and cook for 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Turn 3-4 times during cooking, and brush with the reserved marinade half way through cooking. To check the chicken is cooked, slice open the largest piece and make sure it's no pink in the middle.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and coriander, then serve with salad and rice or potatoes (try these Greek Potatoes ) if you like.
1 tbsp sesame seeds, small bunch of coriander/cilantro
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead?You can marinate the chicken up to a day ahead, but I wouldn’t recommend cooking the chicken ahead and then reheating later, as this will dry the chicken out. However, you can cook the chicken kebabs, cool them and serve them cold as part of a salad or wrap.Ingredient swaps/additionsSwap out the onion and peppers for mushrooms, red onion, chunks of courgette or pieces of pineappleAdd sriracha/chilli powder/chilli flakes to the marinade for a spicy kickNutritional Information is approximate and is per skewer
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was first published in April 2016. Updated in May 2020 with new photos, video and recipe tips.
Tools used:
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Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Welcome to Kitchen Sanctuary
Hi, I'm Nicky and I love to cook! I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.
Oh my goodness, we made these last night and used chicken thigh, mushrooms, red/yellow capsicum & pineapple. My partner begged for it to be on the menu every week! The marinade is perfection!
I’ve tried this recipe twice and it’s unbelievably tasty! I never thought I could ever make kabobs this good! My family loves it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi, will this work with whole chicken thighs on the bbq and how long should I marinate? Would overnight be too long for an afternoon bbq next day?
Many thanks
Hi Angela, are you talking about bone-in chicken thighs? These take longer to cook, and I think the honey and garlic might burn with prolonged cooking over the bbq.
I would cook the chicken thighs on the bbq with no marinade, until almost cooked through, then brush on the marinade a few times during the last few minutes of cooking. Check the chicken is cooked through (internal temp should be 165F/75C) before serving.
Hope that helps 🙂
Hi Amy – they will, but you might find the sticks get in the way of the sides of the pan, preventing the chicken from being in contact with the surface of the pan. Cooking them under the grill (broiler) is a good way to go if you don’t have a griddle plate.
These look fantastic! I so rarely BBQ chicken but this recipe looks like the perfect way to do so. I have pretty much all of the ingredients already, all I need is a non-rainy day to give it a try. I may add some pineapple chunks as well since pineapple and chicken go well together.
Beautiful!
Great on shrimp as well!
Oh my goodness, we made these last night and used chicken thigh, mushrooms, red/yellow capsicum & pineapple. My partner begged for it to be on the menu every week! The marinade is perfection!
The Best!!!
I’ve tried this recipe twice and it’s unbelievably tasty! I never thought I could ever make kabobs this good! My family loves it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi, will this work with whole chicken thighs on the bbq and how long should I marinate? Would overnight be too long for an afternoon bbq next day?
Many thanks
Hi Angela, are you talking about bone-in chicken thighs? These take longer to cook, and I think the honey and garlic might burn with prolonged cooking over the bbq.
I would cook the chicken thighs on the bbq with no marinade, until almost cooked through, then brush on the marinade a few times during the last few minutes of cooking. Check the chicken is cooked through (internal temp should be 165F/75C) before serving.
Hope that helps 🙂
Hi, I would love to make these tonight, but I dont have a griddle. Would a regular frying pan work?
Thanks so much.
Hi Amy – they will, but you might find the sticks get in the way of the sides of the pan, preventing the chicken from being in contact with the surface of the pan. Cooking them under the grill (broiler) is a good way to go if you don’t have a griddle plate.
These look fantastic! I so rarely BBQ chicken but this recipe looks like the perfect way to do so. I have pretty much all of the ingredients already, all I need is a non-rainy day to give it a try. I may add some pineapple chunks as well since pineapple and chicken go well together.
Thanks Sarah,
Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Chris & Nicky
Love each and every recipes that I have had on here…thank you so much.
Thanks Linda,
So glad that you’re enjoying the recipes.
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
So tasty. My fussy teens loved them. Very easy to make.
We did these last weekend, in that glorious bank holiday weather. Enjoyed greatly accompanied with your Greekish potatoes.