Juicy Grilled Chicken Skewers

The secret to juicy skewers? Season the chicken with a tasty olive oil rub and avoid drying it out on the grill. Chicken breast is so EASY. It’s always there in the fridge, affordable, available, and versatile. I’m grateful for this simple ingredient! These grilled chicken skewers make the most of this ingredient. They are juicy, succulent, well-seasoned, and grilled to perfection. They are very easy to make and everyone enjoys them.

Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these tasty skewers. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Fresh chicken: In this recipe, we use boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed. Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and that wonderful umami flavor. Spices: Black pepper and garlic powder, which I actually prefer to fresh minced garlic in this recipe because it more evenly coats the chicken pieces.

Instructions

Making these grilled chicken skewers is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: Heat your grill on medium-high. You don’t want to cook the chicken on high and char it too much. So medium-high is good. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder. Reserve a bit of the marinade for later, then toss the chicken pieces in the marinade. Your next step is to thread the coated chicken pieces on skewers. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until it’s cooked through, about 10 minutes. Brush with the reserved marinade and serve.

Expert tip

The main challenge when making this recipe is that chicken can end up too dry. Actually, that’s a problem with anything made with chicken breast, a lean piece of meat that tends to dry out easily. The secret to keeping these skewers juicy is to cook them over fairly high heat and to avoid cooking them for too long. This is much easier to do with chicken cubes than with a whole chicken breast because there’s less risk of them remaining raw in the middle.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

A nice addition to the olive oil rub is a tablespoon of honey. It promotes caramelizing and balances out the savory flavor of the soy sauce. Sometimes I use balsamic vinegar instead of soy sauce, adding a teaspoon of kosher salt to the rub. Or simply add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar in addition to the other ingredients. Another tasty addition is a pinch of cayenne, especially if you like your food spicy. It adds a hint of spice, nothing too overpowering.

Serving suggestions

Grilled chicken skewers are excellent with a side of grilled vegetables. I like to serve them with grilled broccolini, grilled portobello mushrooms, or grilled zucchini. You can also serve them with a salad such as creamy cucumber salad, tomato salad, or Israeli salad.

Storing leftovers

You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave on 50% power. Or shred them and use them cold in salads (such as this chicken cobb salad) or in a lettuce sandwich.

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