Chipotle Honey Chicken Skewers Recipe

Recipe Discuss

This Chipotle Honey Chicken Skewers recipe is simple to make and perfect for summer BBQ's. Meal prep, make-ahead and freezer friendly to boot!

Kabobs on metal skewers on an old cookie sheet.

Summer is in full swing, which means it's grill time baby! This Honey Chipotle Chicken Kabobs recipe is perfect for summer parties, and holidays like the fourth of July. This sweet and smoky chicken also is simple to make and can be made ahead of time, frozen or used for meal prep.

Grilling with my family is one of our favorite actives during the months. This chicken is a bit sweet and smoky and a favorite among both adults and kids. If you do not have access to an outdoor grill, no problem I got you! Indoor stove top grilling instructions are included.

Ingredient Notes

Chicken: For this sweet and smoky chicken recipe you can use a variety of different cuts of chicken. My two favorites are either chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Both of these can be cubed easily and will fit on the kabobs. If you are looking to shake things up you can use the marinade with a whole chicken, chicken wings or chicken legs.
Spices: I use a simple combination of salt, ground black pepper, and ground chipotle seasoning. If you want to add a bit of spice some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes can be used. Also, if you want to add a pinch more punch of flavor garlic powder and smoked paprika can be added in.

Why You'll LOVE It
Easy to Prepare: All prepped in one bowl with little prep work
Great for Summer BBQs: Forth of July Favorite
Bold Flavor, but Mild Enough for Kids

Close up shot of honey chipotle chicken on kabobs.

Instructions

Chop your chicken into 1-2 inch cubes and set aside.
In a large bowl add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Add in the chicken to the bowl and stir until all the chicken cubes are coated. Cover and let marinade for at least 20 minutes.
Once the chicken has marinated, spray metal skewers and add the chicken on one at a time until gone.
Spray an outdoor grill with cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat. Once to at least 375 degrees add the chicken kabobs to the grill and cook 3 minutes per side until charred and internal temp reads 165 degrees.
Once the chicken is cooked through remove from the grill and place on a clean cookie sheet. Remove from the skewers and serve warm sprinkle with lime juice and fresh parsley or cilantro.

Leftover Instructions
Store leftover chipotle chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Rewarm in the microwave and enjoy warm with side dish of choice.

Six prep image collage showing kabobs being made and grilled with numbered images.

Stove Top Grilling

If you are not able to use an outdoor grill these chipotle chicken kabobs can be made inside on the stove top. You will need to follow the prep and marinade instructions per the recipe, then just pick up with the indoor grilling.

Once you have marinated and skewered the chicken, place a large grill pan or griddle on your stove top and turn the burners to medium heat. Spray your pan with cooking spray then add your chicken kabobs and cook 3-5 minutes per sides. Note that depending on your range this time may vary, so be sure to read the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it is cooked through.

Meal Prep Master
You can easily cook a large amount and store in airtight containers to be rewarmed and enjoyed all week for lunch. Some great pairing ideas for this chipotle honey chicken would be brown rice, quinoa, roasted veggies, like balsamic asparagus, or a Caesar salad.
Check out my Grilled Chicken Spiedini for another meal prep fave!

Pro Tips

Marinade: I highly recommend marinating this chicken for at least 20 minutes, but ideally for 2-4 hours. The flavors develop the longer they marinade, but some time marinating is better than nothing so if all you have is 20 minutes that does the job. You can also marinade the chicken overnight, just leave the lime juice out of the marinade and add it in before grilling.

High Heat: Try and get your grill to a high temperature and no lower than 375 degrees. When grilling the chicken kabobs they will not take very long to cook through. Starting with a high heat helps the outside get nice and charred quickly, while the inside cooks through resulting in moist chicken on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Hand holding lime slice and squeezing juice over chicken.

FAQS

Can you soak skewers too long?

While I prefer to use metal skewers, if using bamboo skewers you will need to plan ahead and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. I do not find that the longer I soak them has any negative effect on them, and instead helps them last longer on the grill and not burn as easily.

How do you cut chicken breasts for skewers?

I like to cut the chicken breast in half length wise first. If your breast is very large then you will need to cut it into thirds lengthwise. Next, take the cut chicken breast strip and cut it into 1- 1 ½ inch cubes. The most important thing is to try and keep all the cubes the same size so the chicken will all cook at the same rate.

Can chicken skewers be made ahead time?

Yep, chicken kabobs can be marinated for up to 24 hours in a large bowl. Alternatively, you can marinade then skewer the chicken up to 12 hours ahead of time. When making ahead of time store the chicken covered in the fridge until ready to grill. Be sure to leave the lime juice out of the marinade if prepping overnight, since the acid will begin to cook the chicken.

Can this recipe be frozen?

Yes, the chicken can placed in a large freezer bag with the marinade ingredients (except the lime juice) and stored flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to grill the chicken let the chicken thaw overnight.

Shop This Recipe
My Favorite Metal Skewers: No Soaking Required!
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A Great Grill Pan if You are an Indoor Type of Gal

Overhead shot of chicken skewers on a metal sheet with sliced limes.

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Happy Eating!

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