If there is one thing I know, it is that chicken thighs make the very best chicken skewers! Leave the chicken breast for marinated grilled chicken. When it comes to BBQ Chicken Skewers, the dark meat is where it’s at! You can grill the dark chicken meat a little longer, giving it that deep char flavor, and bonus – it stays juicy! For this recipe we are also marinating the thigh meat in the very best BBQ marinade!
I learned this marinade tip from Cook’s Illustrated; start your BBQ chicken skewer marinating base with tomato paste! The tomato paste lends flavor, clings perfectly to the chicken for thorough marinating, and it slightly caramelizes/chars on the chicken while grilling!
The other GREAT thing about this recipe is that you get to finish the Barbecue Chicken Skewers with your favorite BBQ sauce, which customizes the flavor perfectly for your family and friends – (pssst.. if you don’t have a favorite you can always make your own with this Mom’s Homemade BBQ Sauce).
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Chicken Thigh Skewer Ingredients
Chicken Thighs -using chicken thighs makes all the difference in the world! The dark meat is way more flavorful and pairs nicely with the BBQ flavors. Unlike white meat, the dark meat can be grilled a little bit longer and still stay juicy and tender!
Tomato Paste – like I said earlier I learned this tip for Cook’s Illustrated. Tomato Paste is the perfect base for a grilled chicken marinade! It adds flavor, clings perfectly to the chicken and grills beautifully.
Mom’s Tip
If you are buying your tomato paste in a can you generally don’t use the whole can at once (ie. this BBQ chicken skewer recipe!). Take the rest of the tomato paste, scrape it into a freezer safe baggie and pop it in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to lightly press the tomato paste into sections so they pop out in tablespoon portions.
Vegetable Oil – is the perfect oil to mix with the tomato paste. It has a high smoke point, doesn’t add any flavor to the mix, and thins out the tomato paste just enough so it can coat the chicken.
Worcestershire Sauce – whenever we do BBQ, we do Worcestershire!
Sugar – balances the flavors of the tangy BBQ, and it helps with the caramelization/char on the grill.
Seasonings – the perfect mix of herbs and spices to give the chicken a BBQ flavor are – chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and black pepper.
BBQ Sauce – use your family/friends favorite BBQ sauce to customize the flavors right before you serve.
Mom’s BBQ Sauce
If you want to go the extra mile, whip up some homemade BBQ sauce with this recipe.
My favorite Metal Skewers
We have all heard the tip… if you use wooden skewers soak them in water so they don’t burn up on the grill. I have done this and my wooden skewers STILL burn up on the grill!
That is why I invested in a set of stainless steel skewers that can be used again and again. Here are a few reasons I like the ones I chose:
- They are heavy duty and don’t bend
- They are long enough to hold a lot of meat or veggies but they still fit on a grill.
- Made of stainless steel so they don’t rust.
- Dishwasher safe.
- The sharp tip helps to easily skewer meat or thick veggies.
- There is a nice round “handle” at the bottom of the skewers, which makes them a little easier to pick up and rotate on the grill.
- Reusable!
How To Make BBQ Chicken Skewers
Step 1
Mix the marinade in a bowl or Tupperware container that you can marinate the chicken in.
Step 2
Cut the chicken into 1-2 inch pieces and mix into the marinade, coating completely. Pop in the fridge for 1 hour up to 24 hours.
Step 3
Skewer the chicken while the grill is heating up.
Step 4
Grill the chicken thigh skewers until it reaches 175° F.
Step 5
Remove from the grill and generously brush on your favorite BBQ Sauce.
4 Serving Menus For BBQ Chicken
I always say there is always one summer dinner that captures my heart. This year it was the #1 menu on this list. It is the one that I will look back on at the end of summer and reminisce about how delicious it was. Choose the menu below that will capture your heart, or choose the sides that look good to you on this post for 35+ BBQ Side Dishes.
- Corn on the cob, Lemon Dill Rice, Fresh Watermelon, Sweet Corn Muffins
- Coleslaw, German Potato Salad, Fresh Watermelon, Deviled Eggs
- Cucumbers & Onion, Jiffy Corn Casserole, Raspberry Jell-O Fluff
- Cheesy Potato Casserole, Baked Beans, Broccoli Bacon Salad
Recipe Tips To Remember
- USE CHICKEN THIGHS…and you will never go back to chicken breast. The dark meat is SO FLAVORFUL and can grill for longer, and doesn’t dry out.
- Cut the chicken thighs before marinating, it creates more surface area for flavor.
- Do not sub raw garlic for the garlic powder, raw garlic can tend to burn on the grill.
- Grill the chicken thighs to doneness at 175°F
- If the BBQ Chicken Skewers are getting too dark, pop them to indirect heat on the grill, close the lid and let them cook with the ambient heat of the grill (like an oven).
- Finish the chicken skewers with your favorite BBQ sauce, use whatever flavor sauce your family loves.
More Recipes From The Grill
Barbecue Chicken Skewer Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 – 2.5 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil - or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup Favorite BBQ Sauce - add more if you like!
Instructions
- In a bowl or a Tupperware container with a lid, mix together the marinade ingredients.¼ cup tomato paste, 3 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the chicken pieces and using clean hands or a spoon, stir everything until the chicken is coated.2 – 2.5 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to 24 hours.
- Skewer the chicken onto metal skewers (or wooden skewers that have been soaked well in water)
- Heat the grill to high heat for direct and indirect grilling.
- Cook the skewers over direct heat about 3 minutes per side, turning a quarter turn each time. Total cooking time will be near 15-18 minutes. Chicken thighs are a dark meat and therefore should be 175°F internal temp to be considered cooked and safe to eat.
- If the skewers are getting dark over direct heat, move them to indirect heat and close the grill lid, let the ambient heat of the grill finish cooking the skewers.
- Remove the BBQ Chicken Skewers from the grill, generously brush on your favorite BBQ Sauce.½ cup Favorite BBQ Sauce
- Time to eat!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- USE CHICKEN THIGHS…and you will never go back to chicken breast. The dark meat is SO FLAVORFUL and can grill for longer, and doesn’t dry out.
- Cut the chicken thighs before marinating, it creates more surface area for flavor.
- Do not sub raw garlic for the garlic powder, raw garlic can tend to burn on the grill.
- Grill the chicken thighs to doneness at 175°F
- If the BBQ Chicken Skewers are getting too dark, pop them to indirect heat on the grill, close the lid and let them cook with the ambient heat of the grill (like an oven).
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