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These delicious, Asian Grilled Chicken Veggie Skewers employ a secret shortcut to make the recipe SO easy! They're sweet, sticky and have a bit of heat. Make them for rave reviews!
If you're looking for a super delicious, easy grilled dinner option, you've definitely clicked yourself to precisely the right place! Not to mention, these Asian Grilled Chicken Veggie Skewers are also a super-economical way to feed a hungry crowd!
I came up with these Asian Grilled Chicken Veggie Skewers one evening several years ago when, at 5 o'clock, I had no idea what dinner would look like. I'd thawed out a few chicken breasts but wasn't really in the mood for our regular grilled chicken. Earlier that day I'd been to the grocery store and had picked up lots of fresh summer veggies, so I started rolling around my options.
Hmmm... Asian sounded good, and we love anything grilled, so I decided to combine the two. I pulled out soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic and began tinkering with what I hoped would work as a combo marinade, glaze and sauce. I wasn't thrilled with my results at first; the sauce was good but fairly nothing special. I opened the fridge and scanned the condiments, looking for something that would add a bit of pizazz. Suddenly, my eyes spotted a bottle of hickory-smoked barbecue sauce, so I pulled it out.
I added a generous squirt, stirred my concoction and took a little taste. Much better ... but it still needed a touch of heat to balance the sweetness. That didn't take much contemplation. I just reached for the Sriracha, one of my favorite spicy chili sauces. Sriracha adds a delicious dimension to so many dishes. You can go as mild or spicy as you like, depending on the amount you use. We like things medium spicy, so I don't add a whole lot, but that little addition was the perfect heat - my sauce was ready to roll!
A delicious secret ingredient
I like to think of this sauce as a fusion sauce. It employs an old-fashioned American favorite that most of us have in our pantries. Barbecue sauce! Combine the smoky barbecue sauce with honey, olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and garlic for an unbelievably delicious (and easy) sauce.
I've made these skewers many times over the last few years, and they always receive oohs, aahs and a ton of compliments.
A small amount of the sauce is combined with the chicken in a bowl or zippered bag for a marinade. An hour or two is fine, although you could go as long as four hours if you've got plenty of time. The chicken is then threaded on skewers along with red onions, zucchini and bell peppers. I like to use a rainbow of colored peppers, but you can also go with just one hue. The skewers are cooked on a medium-hot grill and brushed frequently with the delicious sauce.
The leftover sauce is used for drizzling and dipping. This is such a versatile condiment, did you notice? The same sauce is used as a marinade, a brushing sauce and lastly, a dipping sauce to serve at the table,
So, next time you're at the market, pick up a package of boneless chicken breasts and some fresh veggies. You probably have most everything else you need. You'll be on your way to an unforgettable spring or summer dinner!
Café Tips for making these Asian Grilled Chicken Veggie Skewers
- I love to serve these Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers with a simple side of jasmine rice and a little bowl of that sweet, spicy sauce for a delightful, easy summer meal.
- Feel free to substitute other veggies for the zucchini and peppers. Look for veggies that are in season and ones that look the prettiest.
- This recipe calls for Sriracha, an Asian-inspired chili sauce. Sriracha is available at most larger groceries in the Asian section of the international aisle. If you're not familiar with Sriracha, start out with a small amount as it is fairly spicy. You can always add more but you can't take away the heat.
- Because this recipe uses chicken breasts, don't cook them too long or the meat will be dry. Let them get just a bit of char.
- Sometimes we substitute chicken thighs for the breasts. The nice thing about thighs is you can let them get a nice deep char without drying out the chicken.
- We love these metal skewers for grilling. They're inexpensive and clean up beautifully in the dishwasher. It's nice to not have to worry about soaking wooden skewers or having them burn on the grill.
Thought for the day:
You alone are the Lord.
You have made the heavens,
The heaven of heavens with all their host,
The earth and all that is on it,
The seas and all that is in them.
You give life to all of them
And the heavenly host bows down before You. Nehemiah 9:6
What we've been listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy chicken on the grill, you'll also love these Mexican Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken Breasts and these Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers.
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Asian Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers
Ingredients
For the marinade/glaze/sauce:
- ÂĽ cup smoky barbecue sauce, We like Sweet Baby Rays
- ÂĽ cup soy sauce
- ÂĽ cup honey
- ÂĽ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, more to tasate
- 2 medium cloves garlic
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 to 1½-inch pieces
- 3 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1¼ to 1½-inch pieces
- 3 medium bell peppers, cut into 1¼ to 1½-inch pieces )I used red, yellow and orange.)
Instructions
For the marinade/glaze/sauce:
- Combine all sauce ingredients and stir well to combine. Set aside.
For the chicken:
- About 2-4 hours before serving, place chicken and 3 tablespoons sauce in a zippered bag. Squeeze bag gently to coat chicken with sauce. Refrigerate till ready to assemble skewers.
- If using wooden skewers, soak in water while chicken is marinating. (The skewers will still char, even with soaking, but this will prevent them from igniting.)
- Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Clean the grates and oil lightly.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and thread with the veggies onto skewers. Leave at least 1-inch space on both ends of skewers for handling.
- Remove ½ cup of the sauce and reserve the rest for the dipping sauce.
- Place skewers on the hot, clean, oiled grill, turning about every 2-3 minutes. Baste with the sauce with each turn. Cook until golden and lightly charred, 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from grill and tent with foil for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with the remaining sauce for dipping or drizzle skewers with some of the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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Have you ever tried this with steak?
Hi Rachel, I haven't tried it with steak but I think it would be delicious!
I have made this several times and honestly, I could happily eat nothing but this and the peruvian chicken and sauce. I broiled rather than grilled. The sauce is amazing, so so delicious. Love your site and your recipes!
Thank you, Patti! What a great idea to broil instead of grill. That makes a nice alternative for those who don't have a grill or who would like to enjoy the recipe during the colder months. I appreciate you taking the time to share a comment and review. đź’•
You're welcome, Vivian! Your adaptation sounds wonderful!
Made these with chicken and with tofu (also marinated in the sauce) for our anniversary dinner, and they were delicious. Served with ramen noodles. Thanks for another great recipe!
These skewers are outstanding. I had leftovers and it was even better the next day. I did add a little rice wine vinegar to the sauce and cut back on the honey a little. Otherwise exactly the same. Please do marinate the full 4 hours if possible.
Thanks so much for sharing your results and adaptation, Polly! I'm so happy you enjoyed them!
We just had these for dinner tonight and there were lots of ooohhhs and aaaahhhs throughout! These were absolutely delicious and your clear instructions and extra tips helped make it easy! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Sarah! I'm super happy you enjoyed them. Ooooohs and aaaaahs are always good!
Nous avons fait cette recette hier soir et nous nous sommes régalés! Merci beaucoup pour toutes vos magnifiques et délicieuses recettes!
Carmen
Vous ĂŞtes les bienvenus!
Thank you for sharing another awesome recipe!! These skewers were fabulous....your delicious sauce is truly perfect for marinating, basting & dipping, as you say! Love love the taste - sweet, a bit spicy, something that makes me want more!! (Can’t fund the right words-the ingredients blend to make a really addictively delicious sauce!) We also had jasmine rice with our chicken & veggie skewers - it was a combo that made for a wonderful meal that we look forward to having again & again.
I look forward to receiving each of your emails & new recipes. I really enjoy reading all that you share with each recipe. Your comments, tips, ideas are all fun to read & also very helpful as I actually try the recipes.
Thanks again for everything!
Thank you, Gayle, for leaving such a detailed review. It will be so helpful to other readers. Thanks also for your kind and encouraging words!
Hi, Chris.
Can shrimp work well in this skewer recipe? Thanks, Sandra
Hi Sandra, I think shrimp would be delicious! I would probably thread the shrimp and the veggies on separate skewers though as the shrimp will be done sooner.
This came out so good! Next time I may make more marinade because it is just so dang good! Came out pretty as a picture on top of it! Made jazmine rice and I was happy as could be! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
SO easy, yet impressive! I love these fusion flavors and these are a perfect addition to our summer grilling menu. I don't want the season to end!
This looks incredible thank you. Question, can I make this in the kitchen without an outdoor grill or another recipe that does not call for a barbecue ?
Thanks Lynda, I haven't tried it indoors but it should work fine under the broiler.
Delicious skewers. .. a must have for summer!
Sounds amazing - making it over the fourth holiday weekend!
We've been grilling nonstop lately and these skewers look so good - I have to add them to our rotation!
I love how colorful these skewers are! My daughter would love it if I made these for her for dinner - especially with that sauce!
This is a perfect summer dinner! I also have those evenings when I look at the chicken and know that tossing it on the grill is not what I really want. ....the perfect combination of flavors. We will give them a try. Thank you!
These looks sublime, Chris! I won a set of metal skewers at our family reunion several years ago and STILL have not used them. These would be the perfect thing to try on them.
Sriracha seems to work in almost anything, doesn't it? Love the stuff, and it's perfect here. Really inspired recipe -- great colors, terrific flavor. Thanks!
So colourful and delicious! The ingredients would make a great stirfry too.
Thanks Angie. Yes a stir fry would be wonderful and a great way to enjoy this same dish in the colder months or if you don't have a grill.
Wow--beautiful food, easy to prepare and as usual Scott's photography and your dishes add another great dimension to the post. I include fresh pineapple with the vegetables/chicken and add some pineapple juice to the sauce. Something I learned in Hawaii; sauce works with small pieces of cubed pork also.
I love the idea of a little sweet addition with the pineapple and the juice in the sauce. That would be a perfect addition!
You know, we usually do plain, marinated chicken breast on the grill too. Time to branch out with new flavors! Your skewers look wonderful and I love all of those flavors!
Thanks Susan. These definitely have more pizzazz that regular grilled chicken!
I have a thing for food on skewers, especially on the grill! Love this one. The sauce sounds perfect and a great way to enjoy meat and veggies on one stick 🙂
Thanks so much Jennifer. I love skewers to, they make a meal so simple.
Oh Chris, I am crazy about the ingredients in your sauce/glaze/marinade, this has to be divine! Thanks so much, this will be going on my July bucket list, yum!
Thanks Jenna, hope you enjoy it!
I think you said it in the first sentence - looking ... delicious! How juicy and mouthwatering - these look fantastic Chris! What time is dinner going to be ready???? Pinning!
Any time you can get here Tricia! 🙂
My mouth is watering for these delicious looking skewers, I just LOVE the asian twist!
I have never grilled zucchini on a skewer. I have made kebabs (kabobs/skewers) a million times but I've never added that to it. I'm sitting here thinking what a moron I've been all these years.
This is what I want for dinner. Forget that it's winter.
I do that all the time Maureen - think to myself "why haven't I tried that"? That's one of the things I love about cooking. There's always something new to learn.
So pretty, colorful, and super flavorful... Please, invite me for dinner! 🙂
Come on over Denise, we always have an extra spot at the table!
This is my kind of dinner, so pretty and so easy! I love that glisten from the sauce, too!
Thanks Sue, the sauce is wonderful!