Lemon Marinated BBQ Chicken Skewers
A bright and tangy recipe to warm up your grilling muscles in time for BBQ Season. Fresh and herby with a kick of spice, this easy recipe is a simple crowd-pleaser at any cookout. You can dress these skewers up in your choice of tangy lemon or lime- we recommend lime if you’re planning to make them on the spicy side, because lime is a great compliment to spice.
Skewers are a great go-to classic on the grill because they’re so simple to nail down. Just pop your favourite mix of meat and veggies on a stick, and let the smoke infuse in there for that unmistakable BBQ taste. The chunks on skewers are nice and small, too, which means they cook up quickly as the perfect BBQ snack whilst everyone waits on the main dishes like burgers and sausages.
This recipe comes with a few extra steps to take this beginner’s classic to the next level with a simple lemon marinade the night before. It’s not often you have an unplanned BBQ, so it never hurts to spend 15 minutes the night before to give your chicken skewers the upgrade they deserve.
This recipe comes from BBQ Tips UK, and one piece of advice they offer for skewers is to use two sticks instead of one! That way, when you turn them over, the meat doesn’t just spin in place. The less time you spend fiddling with the skewers, the less risk you have of getting burned. If you’re using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in cold water beforehand so they don’t get dried out and burn on the grill.
Let’s get stuck into it! We’re starving!
A bright and tangy recipe to warm up your grilling muscles in time for BBQ Season. Fresh and herby with a kick of spice, this easy recipe is a simple crowd-pleaser at any cookout.
Ingredients
- 1kg boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 200ml olive oil
- 100ml freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh minced cilantro or parsley
- 2 Tbsp fresh crushed garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 6-8 wooden skewers, soaked in cold water
Instructions
- These skewers can be cooked on a BBQ or in the grill of an oven. If you are cooking over charcoal rather than gas, make sure to light your barbeque an hour before you start cooking.
- Dice the chicken into small 1 to 2 inch pieces, for skewering.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon or lime juice, cilantro or parsley, crushed garlic, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper. If you are using a whole fruit for your lemon or lime, you can add the zest to the mix too.
- Place the chicken pieces into a glass dish, and pour the marinade over it. Stir to ensure it is fully coated. Then, seal the dish in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Whilst the chicken marinates, soak the wooden skewers in cold water, if you haven’t done so already.
- After 20 minutes has passed, slide the chicken onto the skewers. The pieces should be evenly divided between 6 – 8 skewers.
- Grill the skewers over medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes. Turn the skewers frequently until the chicken pieces are cooked through and juices run clear.
Tips
Try serving with flatbread, a citrus salad, or on its own as a snack. Credit for photography and original recipe goes to BBQ Tips UK