These easy lemon chicken skewers with garlic and herbs are a fantastic choice for a delicious, healthy, and quick dinner option that you can enjoy throughout the year. They pair perfectly with simple side dishes, making them a versatile choice. Plus, they’re great for meal prepping ahead of time, ensuring you have convenient grab-and-go lunches ready when you need them.
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chicken skewers Ingredients
These chicken skewers come together with just a few simple ingredients, making them a convenient choice for a tasty meal. Here are the key components:
- Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Any cooking oil, such as canola, avocado, or sunflower oil, will work fine.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and some lemon zest add a bright and zesty flavor to the chicken.
- Garlic: Garlic brings a wonderful depth of flavor to the marinade.
- Herbs: A combination of herbs like rosemary, oregano, and parsley complements the chicken beautifully. However, you can experiment with other herbs like thyme or sage.
- Salt and Pepper: To season the chicken skewers.
Optional: You can also thread some vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes onto the skewers with the chicken for added flavor and nutrition. Feel free to customize the ingredients to your liking.
Putting chicken skewers on the grill
Here are the steps to make these delicious lemon chicken skewers:
1. Make the Marinade:
- In a bowl, combine extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, crushed garlic, herbs of your choice, salt, and pepper. You can choose herbs like rosemary, oregano, and parsley.
- Slice the chicken breasts or boneless thighs into bite-size pieces and place them in a large bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring it’s well coated.
- Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but you can marinate it for up to 24 hours. Cover the bowl and refrigerate during this time.
2. Assemble the Skewers:
- If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for a while to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers. You can also add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary in between the chicken pieces to enhance the flavor.
3. Cook:
- Preheat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
- Place the chicken skewers on the grill and cook until they are golden brown and cooked through. This usually takes several minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure it’s fully cooked.
- Once done, remove the grilled chicken from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy your homemade lemon chicken skewers with garlic and herbs! You can serve them with your favorite side dishes for a complete meal.
Can you bake with wooden skewers?
Soaking wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes in boiling water will prevent them from burning on the grill or in the oven. This step is essential to ensure that your skewers don’t catch fire or become too charred during the cooking process. It allows the wood to absorb moisture, making it less likely to burn at high temperatures. Once the skewers are thoroughly soaked, you can thread your marinated chicken and other ingredients onto them and cook them without worry of the skewers catching fire.
This can I cook in the oven?
Yes, prepare the oven’s grill or broiler. Cook the chicken skewers, flipping them over every five minutes, until they are golden brown and well cooked.
Can marinated chicken skewers be frozen?
You can, indeed. Chicken should be marinated, then the meat should be threaded onto metal or wooden skewers that have been soaked. The meat should then be frozen in a single layer in freezer bags or freezer-proof containers. Skewers must be thoroughly defrosted before being cooked after being frozen for up to a month.