Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers

These fun, easy Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers are sweet, sticky – with a touch of heat. They never fail to bring rave reviews!

If you’re looking for a super delicious, summer meal option, you’ve definitely clicked yourself to precisely the right place! Not to mention, these Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers are also a super economical way to feed a hungry crowd!

I came up with these Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers one evening 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 plain old grilled chicken. Earlier that day I’d been to the market and had picked up lots of fresh summer veggies, so I started rolling around my options.

Hmmm… Asian sounded good, and we hadn’t grilled any skewers yet this summer, 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 ordinary. 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, my favorite spicy chili sauce. Sriracha is available at most larger groceries, and it 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!

I like to think of this sauce as a fusion sauce. It’s an old-fashioned American favorite, with lots of smoky barbecue flavor, married with a soy-ginger, classically Asian combination. The result? Super delicious and better than either of them on their own! I’ve made these skewers a number of times over the last few weeks, and they always receive oohs, aahs and a ton of compliments.

A small amount of the sauce is used for a brief marinade in a bowl or zippered bag. An hour or two is fine, although you could go as long as four hours, if you’ve got lots 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 could stick with one hue, if that’s what you’ve got. The skewers are cooked on a medium hot grill and brushed frequently with the same delicious sauce.

There’s a drizzling/dipping sauce too and guess what? Yup, it’s the same delicious sauce, and a perfect way to dress up the smoky charred 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.

Pick up a package of boneless chicken breasts and some fresh veggies (feel free to substitute other veggies for the zucchini and peppers). You probably have most everything else you need. You’ll be on your way to an unforgettable summer dinner!

P.S. If you love grilled chicken, but get tired of the same-old, same-old, here are a few other delicious options:

Mexican Honey Grilled Chicken – Don’t worry about this chicken drying out. This Mexican Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken stays moist, tender and full of fabulous Southwest-inspired flavor!

Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers – Juicy, tender grilled chicken, bursting with vibrant flavor. A delicious fusion of South American and Asian cuisines!

Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary Chicken Skewers – Everyone loves these moist, super delicious grilled chicken skewers. They’re great for entertaining, as all of the prep can be done ahead!

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What I used to make and serve these Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers

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Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers

Asian Barbecued Chicken and Veggie Skewers - these fun, easily grilled skewers are sweet, sticky, with a touch of heat. They never fail to bring rave reviews!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Main

Cuisine: Asian

Prep Time: 9 hrs 12 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• For the marinade/glaze/sauce:
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup smoky barbecue sauce I like Sweet Baby Rays
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriacha sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• For the skewers:
• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 medium-small zucchini cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 large red onion cut into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 medium bell pepper cut into cut into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch pieces, I used red, yellow and orange, but use whatever color you like.

Instructions

1. For the marinade/glaze/sauce, combine all sauce ingredients and stir well to combine. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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.)
4. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high.
5. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and begin threading chicken and veggies on skewers. Leave at least 1-inch space on both ends of skewers for handling.
6. Remove 1/2 cup of the sauce, reserving the remainder. Place skewers on hot, clean, oiled grill. Turn skewers frequently (about every 2-3 minutes) and baste with each turn. Cook until golden and charred in a few places, 10-15 minutes. Remove from grill and tent with foil for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with little bowls of the remaining sauce for dipping or drizzle skewers with some of the sauce.

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